Eparchy of Kothamangalam

The Eparchy of Kothamangalam was erected by Pope Pius XII through the Papal Bull Qui in beati Petri Cathedra dated 29 July 1956 by separating the protopresbyterates of Arakuzha, Kothamangalam, and Mailacombu from the then Archieparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly, with Mar Matthew Pothanamuzhi ordained as its first bishop in Rome on 18 November 1956 and officially installed on 10 January 1957 at Kothamangalam, after which he guided the young eparchy with paternal care for two decades before retirement; he was succeeded by Mar George Punnakottil, ordained and installed on 24 April 1977, under whose leadership developmental initiatives gained renewed momentum, and on 10 January 2013, the 56th anniversary of the eparchy, Bishop Mar George Madathikandathil was announced and later enthroned as the third bishop on 9 February 2013, with the Eparchy today comprising 120 parishes and located in central Kerala across the revenue districts of Ernakulam and Idukki, bordered by the Archieparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly and the Eparchies of Irinjalakuda, Idukki, and Pala.