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Diocese of Dharmapuri

*Dioecesis Dharmapuriensis*

தர்மாபுரி மறைமாவட்டம்
Diocese of Dharmapuri; Dioecesis Dharmapuriensis; தர்மாபுரி மறைமாவட்டம்
Catholic
Location
Country	India
Ecclesiastical province	Pondicherry and Cuddalore
Metropolitan	Pondicherry and Cuddalore
Deaneries	5
Statistics
Area	9,622 km2 (3,715 sq mi)
Population; - Total; - Catholics	(as of 2013); 3,386,631; 52,169 (1.8%)
Parishes	45
Churches	57
Information
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1997
Cathedral	Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dharmapuri
Language	Tamil
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Lawrence Pius Dorairaj
Metropolitan Archbishop	Francis Kalist
Vicar General	A. Ambrose
Website
	www.dharmapuridiocese.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dharmapuri (Latin: Dharmapurien(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Dharmapuri in the ecclesiastical province of Pondicherry and Cuddalore in India. This Diocese administrate the political region of Dharmapuri district and Krishnagiri district.^[1]

History

The history of the Dharmapuri Diocese is closely linked to that of the Diocese of Salem, from which it was separated from 24 January 1997. Christianity was introduced to the Salem Diocese in 1623 by Jesuit Robert De Nobili, followed by the Portuguese Jesuits of Madurai Missions. In 1654, Italian Jesuits from Mysore established their residence in Dharmapuri and began preaching the Gospel in the region, extending as far as Tirupattur in North Arcord.

In 1674, John de Britto visited Dharmapuri on his way to Kolei, accompanied by Fr. Antony Ribero. In 1687, the Church's work started to spread in the present districts of Salem and Dharmapuri. Despite the suppression of the Jesuits under the Pombal decree, they continued their mission under the jurisdiction of Cranganore.

In 1776, the Pope entrusted the Madurai Missions and the Malabar Missions to the MEP Fathers. In 1785, Chapenois, MEP Superior of the Malabar Mission, was given the responsibility by Rome to oversee the entire Mysore Mission, which included the old Diocese of Salem. In 1794, he became the first bishop to visit the Diocese of Salem and appointed Abbe Dubois to carry out the church's work.

Until 1930, this region remained under the administration of the Coramandal Missions and later the Apostolic Vicariate of Pondicherry, which became an archdiocese in 1886. However, Hosur Taluk was entrusted to the care of the Mysore Missions from 1861. On 3 August 1930, the Diocese of Salem was established.

Due to the vastness of the Diocese of Salem, the district of Dharmapuri was separated and declared a diocese by Pope John Paul II on 24 January 1997. Joseph Anthony Irudayaraj, a Salesian, was appointed as its first bishop. After 15 years of ministry, Irudayaraj retired on 13 January 2012, due to his advanced age. Lawrence Pius became the second bishop and was installed in the See of Dharmapuri on 20 February 2012. Under his leadership and the motto "To Proclaim the Good News to the Poor," the diocese has witnessed ongoing development in various fields. The Dharmapuri Diocese is the 15th diocese in the Tamil Nadu region.^[2]

Leadership

Bishops of Dharmapuri (Latin Rite)
- Joseph Anthony Irudayaraj (24 January 1997 – 13 January 2012)
- Lawrence Pius Dorairaj (since 13 January 2012)^[3]

Parishes

This diocese has 45 Parish,^[4] which are bifurcated under 5 Vicariates^[5]

± = also Vicariate parish

Parish	Established	Parish church	Sub-station church
Adaikalapuram	1962	St. Mary's Church
Averipally	2022	Our Lady of the Rosary Church
B.Pallipatti	1930	Our Lady of Mount Carmel	Our Lady of Lourdes Church, B.Pallipatti
Bagalur	1999	Mary Help of Christians Church
Bargur - Kottur	1999	St. Antony's Church
Biligundu	2009	St. Antony's Church
Bommidi	1955	St. Antony's Church	Periyanayagi Annai Church, Kalaignar Nagar
Christhupalayam	1932	Immaculate Conception Church
Dasarapalli	1953	Christ the King Church
			St. Antony's Church, Dasarapalli X Road
			St. Antony's Church, Thalikothanur
Denkanikottai ±	1973	Little Flower Church	St. Joseph Church, AVS, Denkanikottai
Dharmapuri ±	1968	Sacred Heart Cathedral
Dhinnur	2023	St. Paul the Hermit Church
Elathagiri	1901	Our Lady of Refuge Church
			Holy Family Church (Paarai Kovil)
			Infant Jesus Chapel, Kulandhai Yesu Nagar
			Periyanayagi Church, J.C. Pudur
			Poondi Madha Church, Rayapanoor
			Sagayamadha Church, Sagayapuram
Gopasandiram	2020	Queen of Heaven Church
Harur ±	1973	Sacred Heart Church	St. Antony's Church, Nadiyanur
Hogenakkal-Ootamalai	2002	Our Lady of the Falls Church
Hosur ±	1979	Sacred Heart Church
Hosur - Divine Nagar	2013	St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Hosur - Sipcot	2000	Our Lady of Lourdes Church	St. Joseph, the worker Church, Dharga
Kadagathur	1910	St. Mary's Church
			Our Lady of Refuge Church, K.N.Savulur
			St. Teresa of Baby Jesus Church, Kollagathur
Kandikuppam	1979	Queen of Heaven Church
			Infant Jesus Church, Achamangalam
			Our Lady of Refugee Chapel, Kamaraj Nagar
			Velankanni Arokiya Madha Chapel, Kockanoor
			Vannathu Andoniyar Church, Thandavanpallam
Kathanpallam	2018	St. Joseph Church
Kaveripattinam	2009	Our Lady of Peace Church
Kembathpalli	2023	St. Xavier Church
Kelamangalam	1996	Sacred Heart Church
Kethanahalli	2000	St. Francis Xavier's Church	Our Lady of Good Health Church, Thumbalahalli Dam
Kovilur	1856	St. Xavier's Church
			St. Antony's Church, Chittoor
			Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Kottampatti
			St. Ignatius Of Loyala Church, Narthampatti
Krishnagiri ±	1930	Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
			St. Ignatius Of Loyala Church, Oldpet
			St. Joseph Church, Periyarikodi
			Sacred Heart Church, V.Madepalli
Mathagondapalli	1930	Sacred Heart Church
Mathigiri	1926	Our Lady of Good Health Church	Our Lady of Good Health Heritage Church, Kudhraipalayam
Nellimarathupatti	2010	Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Onnalvadi	2002	Our Lady of Help Church	Our Lady of Velankanni Church, Chennathur
Palacode	1985	Christ the King Church
			Our Lady of Velankanni Church, Savadiyur
			Our Lady of Assumption Church, Kesarkuli Dam
Pappireddipatti	2002	Our Lady of Velankanni Church
Poolapatti	2010	St. Sebastian's Church
Pushpagiri	2015	St. Therese of the Child Jesus	Our Lady of Garland of Flowers, Madha Malai
Rayakottai	1999	Our Lady of Lourdes Church	Our Lady of Good Health Church, Panjampalli
Selliampatti	2016	Infant Jesus Church
			St. Mary Magdalene Church, Gollapatti
			St. Francis Xavier Church, Selliampatti
			St. Joseph Church, Valan Nagar
			St. Antony's Church, Anthoniyar Nagar
Sesurajapuram	1979	John de Britto Church	Our Lady of Good Health Church, Arokiapuram
Shoolagiri	2005	Our Lady of Velankanni Church	St. Antony Church, Kamaraj Nagar
Sollepuram	2014	Our Lady of Lourdes Church	St. Antony Church, Balagiri
Sundampatti	1988	St. Anthony of Padua Church	Vanathu Chinnapar Church, Soorankottai
Thenkaraikottai	1952	Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
Uthangarai	1982	St. Antony's Church
Visuvasampatti	1969	Our Lady of Lourdes Church

References

^ "Dharmapuri Diocese". dharmapuridiocese.org. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^ "Salem Diocese - Welcome to Diocese of Salem". salemdiocese.org. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^ "News Letter Dharamapuri Diocese" (PDF). News Letter (in Tamil). Dharmapuri: Roman Catholic Diocese of Dharmapuri. June 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
^ "Parishes". Dharmapuri Diocese. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022.
^ "Diocese Activities and Organizations of India". Union of Catholic Asian News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023.