First Syro–Malabar Archbishop Of Kottayam installed

Kottayam – Bishop Kuriakose Kunnassery has been installed as the first Archbishop of the Syro–Malabar Church’s Kottayam Archeparchy, an exclusive congregation of the Knanaya Catholic community.

The canonical elevation of the Archeparchy of Kottayam and the instllation of Mar Kunnassery as metropolitan were held in Christ the King Cathedral at Kottayam on June 3.

The ceremony was presided by Major Archbishop Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil of the Syro–Malabar Church. Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur and Archbishop George Valiamattam of Thalassery assisted the cardinal during the service. Archbishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy of Thrissur delivered the benedictory message. The Kottayam Diocese was elevated as an Archeparchy on May 12.

The Knanaya Christian community in Kerala, which has a population of about 200,000, traces its origin to the 72 families accompanied by the Christian missionary merchant from Syria, Thoma of Kana, who is believed to have arrived on the Malabar Coast in Kerala in 345 AD.

The community is now scattered in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and is distinguished by its strict adherence to ethnic purity.

This segment of Catholic community was a part and parcel of the Changanassery and Ernkulam Vicariates, prior to the erection of a separate vicariate of Kottayam in 1911. Kottayam Diocese was erected in 1923 and since 1956 it had been functioning under the Changanassery Archdiocese.

Mar Kunnassery was born in 1928 at Kottayam. He was ordained a priest in 1955 and bishop in 1968. When Bishop Thomas Tharayil of Kottayam retired in 1974, Mar Kunnassery became the bishop of Kottayam.

The Archeparchy status to the Kottayam Archdiocese will now give the Knanaya congregation more administrative and functional autonomy.