Calcutta Orthodox Diocese
The Calcutta Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
History
This diocese was part of the Outside Kerala (Bahyakerala) diocese and later of the Madras Diocese earlier. The present diocese of Calcutta came into existence in 1979.[1] The Orthodox parishes in the North and North Eastern states of India, Kuwait in the Persian Gulf region are included in this diocese, viz. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Maharashtra, West Bengal,Oddisaa, Bihar, Sikkim, Tripura, Jharkhand, Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. The Diocesan headquarters is in St Thomas Ashram , Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. This was consecrated by the then Malankara Metropolitan H.H Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I, the Catholicos in 1986.
The first Metropolitan , H.G Kayalath Dr. Stephanos Mar Theodosius was buried in St Thomas Ashram, Bhilai . He led the diocese into its glories . The diocese celebrated its silver jubilee in 2004. After Mar Theodosios's death in 2007 , the diocese came directly under the control of the Malankara Metropolitan H.H Baselios Marthoma Didymos 1 . He appointed H.G Puliyeeril Dr. Geevarghese Mar Coorilose , the Metropolitan of Bombay , as the assistant metropolitan of the diocese . In 2009 , H.G Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius took charge as the Metropolitan of Calcutta .
Organization
The Diocesan Metropolitan is also the Director of St. Thomas Orthodox Church Mission, one of the pioneer missions outside Kerala. The Mission is mainly concerned with Education and Social Development.
The diocese manages 25 schools, one Arts and Science Post Graduate & B.Ed. College and an Engineering College( CCET-Bhilai ). It has village mission projects in numerous villages.
Present Metropolitan of the diocese is Joseph Mar Dionysius.[2]
Statistics
- Total number of Priests: 45
- Ramban: 02
- Deacons: 01
- Seminary students: 07
- Parishes (In India): 38
- Parishes (In Middle East): 04
- Congregations: 14
PARISH LIST
1) Ahamadi St.Thomas Orthodox Church
2) Bhandara St.Marys Orthodox Church
3) Bilaspur Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
4) Bhopal St.Thomas Orthodox Cathedral
5) Bokaro St.Marys Orthodox Church
6) Bhuvaneshwar St.George Orthodox Church
7) Bhilai Mar Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral
8) Calcutta St.Thomas Orthodox Cathedral
9) Chandrapur Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
10) Cuttack St.George Orthodox Church
11) Chirimiri St.George Orthodox Church
12) Dimapur Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
13) Dhanpuri Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
14) Durgapur St.George Orthodox Church
15) Hathital Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
16) Hoshangabad St.George Orthodox Church
17) Guwahati Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
18) Harsi St.Johns Orthodox Church
19) Hanagar St.George Orthodox Church
20) Jabalpur St.George Orthodox Church
21) Jagadalpur St.Thomas Orthodox Church
22) Jamshedpur Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
23) Katini St.Marys Orthodox Church
24) Kobra Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
25) Kuwait Mar Gregorios Orthodox Maha Edavaka
26) Kuwait St.Basil Orthodox Church
27) Kuwait St.Stephens Orthodox Church
28) Kolar Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
29) Kondagaon St.Thomas Orthodox Church
30) Nagpur St.George Orthodox Cathedral
31) Patna Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
32) Raipur St.Marys Orthodox Church
33) Rajhara St.Stephens Orthodox Church
34) Rajanadagaon St.Marys Orthodox Church
35) Ranchi St.Stephens Orthodox Church
36) Raigarh Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
37) Rewa St.Thomas Orthodox Church
38) Rourkela St.Pauls Orthodox Church
39) Satna St.Gregorios Orthodox Church
40) Sahdol Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
41) Saugor Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
42) Sarni St.Thomas Orthodox Church
43) Orthodox Mission Congregations