A New Diocese in Gurgaon, Delhi and a New Exarchate in Kirkee-Pune for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

• Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas, the present Apostolic Visitor, is the new Bishop in Gurgaon, Delhi.
• Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios, the present Curia Bishop, is the new Bishop for the Kirkee-Pune Exharchate.
• The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church achieved All India Jurisdiction for ecclesial administration with this announcement.
• The Decree of Pope Francis making these provisions was announced at 4:30 P.M. in Trivandrum and also was simultaneously made public in Vatican and Delhi.
• According to Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Bava: “A long cherished dream of Mar Ivanios is fulfilled with this announcement.”
• The announcement came during the Birth Centenary year of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios who initiated the missionary work of the Syro-Malankara Catholic outside Kerala.
• Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Bava expressed Church’s gratitude to Pope Francis, the Oriental Congregation, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and the Latin Hierarchy of India.

Trivandrum: Pope Francis has erected a new Diocese in Gurgaon, Delhi and an Exarchate in Kirkee-Pune for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in India. Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas is appointed the first Bishop of the Gurgaon Diocese and Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios is appointed the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Kirkee-Pune. This announcement was made public at 4: 30 PM (IST) and the Decree was also read in the same time at Vatican and Delhi. Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos made the announcement at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church. The Synodal Secretary of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Thomas Mar Koorilos read the Decree of Pope Francis during the ceremony.

Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas is the present Apostolic Visitor to the faithful who live outside of the territorial jurisdiction of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Bishop Thomas Mar Anthonios is the present Curia Bishop who coordinates the works of the central administrative center (the Catholicate Center) of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. With the establishment of the new Diocese and Exarchate, Pope Francis has granted the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, ecclesiastical authority for the whole territory in India.

The new Gurgaon Diocese is spread over 22 States in the North-East region of India. The Kirkee-Pune Diocese is spread over six States except Kerala in the South. Now, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church has two Exarchates, seven Dioceses, one Archdiocese, besides the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum. There are sixteen institutions in the new Diocese including two colleges, three higher secondary schools and two high schools. At present, sixteen priests who come from various Dioceses and Bethany Congregation, render their services. The twenty-nine religious sisters comprise of Bethany, Daughters of Mary and Holy Spirit Congregations. The PrechodanaSocial Service Society in Delhi provides free luncheons to those who are living in the streets of Delhi.

In the new Exarchate there are twenty-seven parishes that are taken care of by twenty-one priests. Three Benthany Ashrams, thirteen Convents comprising of thirty-eight religious sisters belonging to various congregations also work in this area. Eighteen institutions offer various kinds of services including two colleges, three higher secondary schools and four high schools.

Gurgaon Diocese is established under the name of St. John Chrysostem (the Greek name for Mar Ivanios) and the Exarchate is named after the Syriac Father, St. Ephraem. St. Mary’s Church in Neb Sarai, Delhi is the temporary Cathedral Church for the Gurgaon Diocese. St. Mary’s Church in Kirkee-Pune is the Cathedral of the new Exarchate.

The priests, religious and the faithful who gathered at St. Mary’s Cathedral witnessed an unforgettable historical moment unfolding with this announcement there. After the 1930 reunion, under the leadership of Servant of God Mar Ivanios, the Church witnessed a great historical moment when St. John Paul II raised her to a Major Archiepiscopal Church. Pope Benedict XVI elevated Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Catholicos to a Cardinal of the Catholic Church in 2012. Now Pope Francis has made decision on a matter the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was praying for a long time. Mar Ivanios dreamed of a Malankara Church who has Canonical Autonomy and also of having authority to spread the love of Christ to the whole of India. According to the words of Baselios Cardinal Cleemis – these two drams have been fulfilled with this announcement. And it also adds to the joy that this decision came during the Birth Centenary year of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios who tirelessly worked to bring the mission of the Church to the territories outside of Kerala. Cleemis Bava also reminded the people that this is the recognition for our unwavering commitment to the communion with the Universal Church and also of the faithfulness to the Holy See. His Beatitude expressed the Church’s gratitude towards Pope Francis, the Oriental Congregation, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and to the Hierarchy of the Latin Church in India.

Those present at the St. Mary’s Cathedral during the announcement included Archbishop Thomas Mar Koorilos, Bishops Yoohanon Mar Chrysostem, Joshua Mar Ignations, Abraham Mar Julios, Samuel Mar Irenios and Philipose Mar Stephanos besides a large number of faithful, priests and religious. The Bishop of the new Exarchate of Kirkee-Pune, Thomas Mar Anthonios is at present in Australia to lead the Holy Week celebrations of the Syro-Malankara community there.