KOZHIKODE: In a momentous ceremony, the Diocese of Calicut, a key spiritual hub of the Catholic Church in Malabar, was officially elevated to the status of an archdiocese, with Rev Dr Varghese Chakkalakal ordained as its first archbishop. The ceremony on Sunday, held in the courtyard of St Joseph’s Church, Kozhikode, was attended by thousands of faithful and dignitaries.
The proclamation and ordination ceremony was led by Dr Leo Pauldo Girelli, the apostolic nuncio to India. The decree, announcing the elevation and appointment of the archbishop, was solemnly read in Latin, English, and Malayalam during the initial phase of the Mass, marking the historic transformation of the diocese.
Mar Chakkalakal publicly pledged his allegiance to the Church before the apostolic nuncio, who represented the Vatican, and the gathered congregation, officially assuming his responsibilities as metropolitan archbishop.
Among those gathered to witness the ecclesiastical landmark were bishops from across the state, besides priests and nuns of various orders. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), offered the homily and conveyed his blessings to the new archbishop and the archdiocese.
Archbishop Dr Andrews Thazhath of Thrissur extended warm congratulations, highlighting Mar Chakkalakal’s prior service as bishop of both Kannur and Kozhikode. Archbishop Dr Thomas J Netto of Thiruvananthapuram voiced hope for a church that serves as a “shepherd of hope” amid global crises.
Following the Mass, a public felicitation ceremony was held. Mar Thazhath, who is also president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Mar Netto, Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, Bishop Dr Alex Vadakumthala of Kannur, minister P A Mohammed Riyas, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, former minister M K Muneer, Kozhikode mayor Beena Philip, and BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar addressed the gathering.
With the creation of the archdiocese, Calicut now assumes a metropolitan role over the suffragan dioceses of Kannur and Sultanpet. The reorganisation is expected to amplify ecclesiastical outreach and social welfare efforts in the northern Kerala region, bringing greater pastoral efficiency and regional cohesion.
Mar Chakkalakal’s appointment is seen as a recognition of his decades-long pastoral leadership. Ordained in 1981, he was appointed the first bishop of Kannur in 1998 and later took charge as bishop of Calicut in 2012. He has served as secretary general of both the KCBC and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. His contributions to social service, especially charitable initiatives, have been widely acknowledged.