Coimbatore (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Thomas Aquinas Lephonse, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 1 September 1886
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore (Meliapor)
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: India
Square Kilometers: 28,490 (11,004 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.coimbatorediocese.org
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, P.B. 6, Coimbatore-641001, Tamil Nadu, India
Telephone: (0422)2390.430

Past and Present Ordinaries

Melchior-Marie-Joseph de Marion-Brésillac, M.E.P. † (6 May 1845 Appointed - 18 Mar 1855 Resigned)
Claude-Marie Dépommier, M.E.P. † (17 Feb 1865 Appointed - 8 Dec 1873 Died)
Etienne-Auguste-Joseph-Louis Bardou, M.E.P. † (1 May 1874 Appointed - 7 Feb 1903 Died)
Jacques-Denis Peyramale, M.E.P. † (23 May 1903 Appointed - 17 Aug 1903 Died)
Augustine-Antoine Roy, M.E.P. † (12 Feb 1904 Appointed - 4 Dec 1930 Retired)
Marie-Louis-Joseph-Constantin Tournier, M.E.P. † (12 Jan 1932 Appointed - Jan 1938 Resigned)
Oubagaraswami Bernadotte † (9 Apr 1940 Appointed - 5 Feb 1949 Died)
Francis Xavier Muthappa † (25 Dec 1949 Appointed - 23 Nov 1971 Died)
Manuel Visuvasam † (3 Feb 1972 Appointed - 2 Jun 1979 Died)
Ambrose Mathalaimuthu † (6 Dec 1979 Appointed - 10 Jul 2002 Retired)
Thomas Aquinas Lephonse (10 Jul 2002 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Coimbatore
1850	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast	Vicariate Apostolic of Coimbatore (erected) Vicariate Apostolic of Mysore (erected)
Diocese of Coimbatore
1 September 1886	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Coimbatore	Diocese of Coimbatore
12 June 1923	Territory Lost	Diocese of Coimbatore (Shoranur and Mannarghat (in Wollawanad)) Diocese of Mangalore (North-Malabar) Diocese of Mysore (Winad)	Diocese of Calicut (erected)
13 February 1940	Territory Lost	Diocese of Coimbatore (Nilgiris and area north of the river Bhavani and its tributary Moyar)	Diocese of Mysore
19 September 1953	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Coimbatore (from Pondicherry and Cuddalore)
28 December 2013	Territory Lost	Diocese of Calicut (5 parishes) Diocese of Coimbatore (22 parishes)	Diocese of Sultanpet (erected) (Palakkad)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Coimbatore

1950 46,200 3,000,000 1.5% 47 4 51 905 6 142 33 ap1951

1970 87,541 3,482,941 2.5% 70 17 87 1,006 41 564 45 ap1971

1980 96,875 4,353,000 2.2% 76 9 85 1,139 42 623 50 ap1981

1990 125,200 4,217,500 3.0% 92 12 104 1,203 55 809 60 ap1991

1999 212,763 7,163,297 3.0% 107 14 121 1,758 25 902 67 ap2000

2000 218,930 8,292,785 2.6% 104 14 118 1,855 24 889 67 ap2001

2001 225,773 9,422,273 2.4% 104 16 120 1,881 48 590 67 ap2002

2002 245,479 10,113,414 2.4% 105 14 119 2,062 44 605 68 ap2003

2003 250,139 11,011,709 2.3% 113 14 127 1,969 43 611 69 ap2004

2004 255,220 11,813,004 2.2% 109 20 129 1,978 60 656 68 ap2005

2006 258,600 12,124,000 2.1% 117 20 137 1,887 54 647 72 ap2007

2013 242,181 11,069,000 2.2% 121 40 161 1,504 136 774 64 ap2014

2016 189,542 7,419,686 2.6% 120 28 148 1,280 101 930 69 ap2017

2019 191,400 7,495,600 2.6% 117 35 152 1,259 99 928 73 ap2020

2021 281,326 10,293,440 2.7% 113 35 148 1,900 99 581 73 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Coimbatore
1950	46,200	3,000,000	1.5%	47	4	51	905	6	142	33	ap1951
1970	87,541	3,482,941	2.5%	70	17	87	1,006	41	564	45	ap1971
1980	96,875	4,353,000	2.2%	76	9	85	1,139	42	623	50	ap1981
1990	125,200	4,217,500	3.0%	92	12	104	1,203	55	809	60	ap1991
1999	212,763	7,163,297	3.0%	107	14	121	1,758	25	902	67	ap2000
2000	218,930	8,292,785	2.6%	104	14	118	1,855	24	889	67	ap2001
2001	225,773	9,422,273	2.4%	104	16	120	1,881	48	590	67	ap2002
2002	245,479	10,113,414	2.4%	105	14	119	2,062	44	605	68	ap2003
2003	250,139	11,011,709	2.3%	113	14	127	1,969	43	611	69	ap2004
2004	255,220	11,813,004	2.2%	109	20	129	1,978	60	656	68	ap2005
2006	258,600	12,124,000	2.1%	117	20	137	1,887	54	647	72	ap2007
2013	242,181	11,069,000	2.2%	121	40	161	1,504	136	774	64	ap2014
2016	189,542	7,419,686	2.6%	120	28	148	1,280	101	930	69	ap2017
2019	191,400	7,495,600	2.6%	117	35	152	1,259	99	928	73	ap2020
2021	281,326	10,293,440	2.7%	113	35	148	1,900	99	581	73	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Etienne-Auguste-Joseph-Louis Bardou, M.E.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 1 May 1874; Bishop: 25 Nov 1886 to 7 Feb 1903)
Oubagaraswami Bernadotte † (Bishop: 9 Apr 1940 to 5 Feb 1949)
Claude-Marie Dépommier, M.E.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 17 Feb 1865 to 8 Dec 1873)
Melchior-Marie-Joseph de Marion-Brésillac, M.E.P. † (Pro-Vicar Apostolic: 6 May 1845; Vicar Apostolic: 3 Apr 1850 to 18 Mar 1855)
Ambrose Mathalaimuthu † (Bishop: 6 Dec 1979 to 10 Jul 2002)
Francis Xavier Muthappa † (Bishop: 25 Dec 1949 to 23 Nov 1971)
Antony Padiyara † (Priest: 19 Dec 1945 to 3 Jul 1955)
Jacques-Denis Peyramale, M.E.P. † (Bishop: 23 May 1903 to 17 Aug 1903)
Ambrose Rayappan † (Priest: 16 Dec 1923 to 8 Jan 1953)
Augustine-Antoine Roy, M.E.P. † (Bishop: 12 Feb 1904 to 4 Dec 1930)
Marie-Louis-Joseph-Constantin Tournier, M.E.P. † (Bishop: 12 Jan 1932 to Jan 1938)
Manuel Visuvasam † (Bishop: 3 Feb 1972 to 2 Jun 1979)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Coimbatore
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 121
Diocese of Coimbatore
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 46, Page 83, to Page 87

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Diocese of Coimbatore

Dioecesis Coimbaturensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)