Thiruvananthapuram: Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Clemis has issued an order redefining the boundaries of the Marthandam and Puthur dioceses of the Malankara Catholic Church. By order of Pope Francis, the Synod of the Malankara Catholic Church was given the patriarchal authority of the Pune Kadki St. Ephraim Diocese spread over the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Accordingly, Tirunelveli, Tenkashi, Thoothukudi, Viruthunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dimdugal, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Pudukotta, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, and Perambalur are under the jurisdiction of the Pune Kadki St. Ephraim Diocese. Apart from the areas under the Diocese, Karur district along with Kanyakumari, the only existing civil district in the Diocese of Marthandam, has been declared as the Diocese of Marthandam.
Along with the pastoral area of Puthur Diocese, the civil districts of Uttara Kannada, Tumkur, Bangalore Urban, Ramanagar, Chikkaballapura, Kolar and Bangalore Rural, which are now under the jurisdiction of Pune Kadki Ephraim Diocese, have been declared as pastoral territory of Puthur Diocese. Both orders will take effect on October 1, the feast day of St. Little Thrace.
