Chengannur Orthodox Diocese
| Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church | |
|---|---|
|
Catholicate Emblem | |
| Founder | St. Thomas the Apostle |
| Independence | Apostolic Era |
| Recognition | Oriental Orthodox |
| Primate | Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II |
| Headquarters | Kottayam, Kerala, India |
| Territory | Universal |
| Possessions | United Arab Emirates, United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Singapore and Australia, |
| Language | Malayalam, English, Hindi, Konkani, Kannada, Syriac |
| Website | www.malankaraorthodoxchurch.in |
Chengannur Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Its headquarters is situated at Bethel Aramana, Chengannur
History
The Diocese of Chengannur was established on 10 March 1985 with 50 Churches from Thumpamon, Niranam and Kollam Dioceses. It spreads out in Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts having 51 churches and 10 chapels.
Diocesan Metropolitan
H.G. Thomas Mar Athanasios, became the first Metropolitan of the Diocese of Chengannur on 1 August 1985. He is the son of Kizhakkethalakkal Late K.T. Thomas who was the brother of the great treasure and beauty of Malankara Orthodox Church Geevarugese Mar Philoxinos and Aleyamma on 3 April 1938. He had his primary education in Puthencavu and Alapuzha, High School in M.D.Seminary Kottayam, Intermediate from C.M.S College Kottayam, B.Sc from S.B.College, Chaganacherry, B.Ed from N.S.S College, Chaganacherry B.D from Serampore College, Calcutta and M.Ed from M.S University, Baroda.