Pope Francis has elevated the St. Ephraim Exarchate of the Poona-Katki region to the status of a Diocese to the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church. The current Exarchate President, Bishop Dr. Thomas Mar Antonios will be the Metropolitan of the new diocese. The Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Catholic Church had recommended this to the Pope. Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholica Bava made the announcement at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Katki, Pune. The announcement was made in Rome at 12-noon local time.
The new diocese includes the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in southern India, Maharashtra and Goa, and parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The new diocese comprises of 33 parishes in various cities and 8 mission areas with various mission centers. 32 clergy from the children of Bethany Marie come under the diocese. The diocese focuses its activities mainly on education, health, philanthropy, and social development. There are senior secondary schools and secondary and primary schools in various places. Seva, the diocese’s social services arm, spearheads various philanthropic activities.
