KOCHI: After remaining vacant for 19 months, the historic Diocese of Cochin will get a new shepherd with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV appointing Fr Antony Kattiparambil as its Bishop. The 55-year-old priest, who currently serves as the Judicial Vicar of the Diocese, was named to the post on Saturday.
The post of the Bishop of the Cochin Diocese had been lying vacant since March 2, 2024, when Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph Kariyil after he turned 75, the canonical retirement age for Catholic prelates. Following his retirement, Monsignor Shaiju Pariyathussery served as Diocesan Administrator until October 12, 2024, when Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil of Alleppey was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese.
Born on October 14, 1970, in Mundamveli, Fr Antony belongs to St Louis Church in his native parish. He is the son of the late Jacob and Treesa Kattiparambil and the youngest among seven siblings.
He began his priestly formation at Mount Carmel Petit Seminary, Fort Kochi, in 1986 and pursued philosophical studies at St Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye (1990–1993). Later, he moved to Rome for theological formation at the Collegio Urbano and was ordained a priest on August 15, 1998, by Bishop Joseph Kureethara. He holds licentiates in Biblical Theology (1998) and Canon Law (2016) from the Università Urbaniana, Rome.
After his ordination, Fr Antony served as Assistant Parish Priest at Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Kochi (1998–2002), and St Sebastian’s Church, Thoppumpady (2002). He later worked in Italy in various pastoral and academic roles, including at San Francesco, Prato, and San Pio V, Rome. He returned to India in 2016 as Parish Priest of St Martin’s Church, Kallanchery, and since 2023 has been serving at St Joseph’s Church, Kumbalam.
Within the diocese, he has held key responsibilities including Judicial Vicar (since 2016), Diocesan Contact Person for the Synod (2021–2023), and Episcopal Vicar for Religious (2023–2024).
The Diocese of Cochin, belonging to the Latin Rite, is the second-oldest in India. It was erected on February 4, 1557, by Pope Paul IV through the Bull Pro Excellenti Praeeminentia during the Portuguese colonial period. The first bishop, Dom Jorge Temudo, was a Dominican missionary, and the diocese was originally under the Archdiocese of Goa, exercising jurisdiction over South India, Sri Lanka, Bengal, and Myanmar.
Portugal held the exclusive right to appoint bishops in Cochin until 1950, except between 1838 and 1886 when it was under the Vicariate of Verapoly. In 1951, after Portugal relinquished control, Rev Dr Alexander Edezhath became the first Indian bishop of Cochin. The diocese, which then ceded part of its territory to form the Diocese of Alleppey, now has 1,82,324 Catholics, 134 diocesan priests, 116 religious priests, and 78 parishes.
The bishop’s seat is at the historic Santa Cruz Basilica in Fort Kochi, built in 1902.
