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The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar erected from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin, the first catholic diocese in Kerala. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of Carmelite missionaries, most prominent among whom was the priest Joseph of St. Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They had been deputed under Hyacinth of St. Vincent as Apostolic Commissar, by Pope Alexander VII to effect a reconciliation of Saint Thomas Christians of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded from the Archbishop Francis Garcia due to his over-stretched influence in the affairs of syro-chaldean eparchial province of India. The majority of them had, in 1653, revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an oath for the purpose at the foot of a cross, thereafter called the Coonan Cross, situated in Mattancherry, and made their own Archdeacon Thomas their archbishop. By the efforts of Sebastiani, a large number of seceders were brought back to the Catholic fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of Archbishop Garcia or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as the "Paulists".
Rome, being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person, decided to entrust the Carmelites with the spiritual care of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on 3 December 1659. Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on 15 December 1659 and sent back to Malabar, with the title of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters in the island of Verapoly.
The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent expulsion of all Catholic Missionaries from the territories occupied by the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of the Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless, it survived under the Indian Prelate Palliveettil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani had consecrated as his successor before he left Malabar in 1663. Before long Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin Church who were under Portuguese protection.
On 13 March 1709 by a brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic.
By the brief "Multa Praeclara" of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24 April 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which at that time included also Quilon, were annexed to the Vicariate of Verapoly which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar. However, in 1845, Quilon was severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate.
When by the famous apostolic letter "Humanae Salutis Auctor" of Leo XIII dated 1 September 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with Leonard Mellano of St. Louis as its first archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic.
On 19 March 1887 the Catholics of the Syriac Rite were separated from those of the Latin Church and placed under an administrator, Marcelino Bernard of St. Teresa, who was consecrated co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII, dated 20 May 1887, the Syriac Rite Catholics were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected for Syro Malabar Church (Malankara Chaldean Syrian church/St Thomas Christians/ Nazranis) with Adolpus E. Medlycott and Charles Lavigne as their Vicars Apostolic. Thus the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.
Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly and Archbishops of Verapoly
Giuseppe di Santa Maria Sebastiani (1661–1663), retired before the Dutch in 1663
Angelus Francis of St. Teresa, 1700, was in 1709 entitled "Vicar Apostolic of Cranganore and Cochin" on account of long vacancy of those sees, died 1712
John Baptist Multedo of St. Teresa (1714–1750)
Florence of Jesus of Nazareth (1750–1773)
Francis de Sales a Matre Dolorosa (1774–1787)
John Mary of St. Thomas, 1780 (died before consecration)
John Mary of Jesus, (1784–1802)
Raymond of St. Joseph (1803–1816)
Miles Prendergast (1819–1831), resigned
Francis Xavier Pescetto of St. Anne (1831–1844)
Ludovico Martini of St. Teresa (1839–1859), resigned
Bernardino Baccinelli of St. Teresa, 1847 (1859), 1868, received archiepiscopal rank
Leonardo Mellano of St. Louis, 1868, received archiepiscopal rank 1860, became first Archbishop of Verapoly in 1887, died 1897
Bernard of Jesus (Felipe Arginzonis y Astobiza) (1897–1918), resigned
↑L. M. Pylee, "The Latin Rite in Kerala" in George Menachery Ed., The St.Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol.2, Trichur, 1973, pp. 58–61; Matthew Vattakuzhy, "The Three Rites in Malabar" in George Menachery, Ed., Thomapedia, Ollur, 2000 pp.52-58.
↑T. I. Punnen, "Christians in Malabar in Dutch Times" p.43 and "The Dutch Period" p.44 in George Menachery, Ed. The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Trichur, 1973
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