Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore (Meliapor)

Historical Details

• Vicariate Apostolic of Fort Saint George
  • Erected: 1642
  • Vicariate
  • Country: India

• Vicariate Apostolic of Madras
  • Name Changed: 1832
  • Vicariate
  • Country: India

• Archdiocese of Madras
  • Latin Name: Madraspolitanus
  • Elevated: 1 September 1886
  • Metropolitan See
  • Country: India

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Daniel O’Connor, O.S.A. † (25 Apr 1834 Appointed - 4 Apr 1840 Resigned)
• Patrick Joseph Carew † (4 Apr 1840 Succeeded - 30 Nov 1840 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Bengal)
• John Fennelly † (30 Apr 1841 Appointed - 23 Jan 1868 Died)
• Stephen Fennelly † (7 Jul 1868 Appointed - 3 May 1880 Died)
• Joseph Colgan † (19 May 1882 Appointed - 13 Feb 1911 Died)
• John Aelen, M.H.M. † (13 Feb 1911 Succeeded - 28 Feb 1928 Retired)
• Eugène Mederlet, S.D.B. † (3 Jul 1928 Appointed - 12 Dec 1934 Died)
• Louis Mathias, S.D.B. † (25 Mar 1935 Appointed - 3 Aug 1965 Died)
• Anthony Rayappa Arulappa † (1 Feb 1966 Appointed - 26 Jan 1987 Retired)
• Casimir Gnanadickam, S.J. † (26 Jan 1987 Appointed - 10 Nov 1993 Died)
• James Masilamony Arul Das † (11 May 1994 Appointed - 30 Aug 2004 Died)
• Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B. (1 Apr 2005 Appointed - 21 Nov 2012 Retired)
• George Antonysamy (21 Nov 2012 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Madras
1950	70,040	4,000,000	1.8%	38	66	104	673		76	248	41	ap1951
Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore (Meliapor)
1970	153,289	4,050,000	3.8%	107	85	192	798		178	908	66	ap1971
1980	245,745	5,904,952	4.2%	129	113	242	1,015		243	1,278	105	ap1981
1990	328,143	7,780,000	4.2%	137	166	303	1,082		444	1,452	117	ap1991
1999	480,000	8,500,000	5.6%	157	234	391	1,227		501	2,030	133	ap2000
2000	400,000	8,750,000	4.6%	165	232	397	1,007		506	2,155	135	ap2001
2001	500,000	9,000,000	5.6%	177	243	420	1,190		548	2,165	150	ap2002
2002	350,000	6,894,871	5.1%	98	210	308	1,136		472	1,420	83	ap2003
2003	341,314	6,894,871	5.0%	128	308	436	782		536	2,169	95	ap2004
2004	343,103	6,984,614	4.9%	133	319	452	759		553	2,230	99	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Neethinathan Anthonisamy (Priest: 9 May 1987 to 19 Jul 2002)
• George Antonysamy (Archbishop: 21 Nov 2012)
• Michael Augustine (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Jan 1978 to 19 Jun 1981)
• Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B. (Archbishop: 1 Apr 2005 to 21 Nov 2012)
• Lawrence Pius Dorairaj (Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Nov 1998 to 13 Jan 2012)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• John Aelen, M.H.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Dec 1901; Coadjutor Archbishop: 21 Jul 1902; Archbishop: 13 Feb 1911 to 28 Feb 1928)
• Anthony Rayappa Arulappa † (Archbishop: 1 Feb 1966 to 26 Jan 1987)
• James Masilamony Arul Das † (Archbishop: 11 May 1994 to 30 Aug 2004)
• Patrick Joseph Carew † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 6 Mar 1838; Vicar Apostolic: 4 Apr 1840 to 30 Nov 1840)
• Francis Arthur Carvalho † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Dec 1952 to 1965)
• Joseph Colgan † (Vicar Apostolic: 19 May 1882; Archbishop: 25 Nov 1886 to 13 Feb 1911)
• John Fennelly † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Apr 1841 to 23 Jan 1868)
• Stephen Fennelly † (Vicar Apostolic: 7 Jul 1868 to 3 May 1880)
• Casimir Gnanadickam, S.J. † (Archbishop: 26 Jan 1987 to 10 Nov 1993)
• Louis Mathias, S.D.B. † (Archbishop: 25 Mar 1935 to 3 Aug 1965)
• Theophilus Mayer, M.H.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Jul 1894 to 9 Sep 1900)
• Eugène Mederlet, S.D.B. † (Archbishop: 3 Jul 1928 to 12 Dec 1934)
• Daniel Murphy † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 16 Dec 1845 to 20 May 1851)
• Daniel O’Connor, O.S.A. † (Vicar Apostolic: 25 Apr 1834 to 4 Apr 1840)