Diocese of Kottar

The Diocese of Kottar, situated in the four taluks of Thovalai, Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode in Kanniyakumari district, stands on a centuries-old Christian heritage that predates the arrival of the Portuguese, with archaeological evidence at Chinna Muttom and early references to St. Thomas Christians in Thiruvithancode and Kottar. Large-scale evangelization began with the conversion of the Paravas in 1536–37 and the baptism of over ten thousand Mukkuva fishermen by St. Francis Xavier in 1544, whose legacy is preserved in the present Cathedral incorporating the church he built. Missionaries of the Propaganda Fide intensified inland evangelization, leading to the conversion of Vellala and Nair communities and producing the diocese’s martyr, Devasahayam (Lazar), baptized in 1745 and martyred in 1752 at Kattadimalai. The 18th century saw rapid expansion among the Nadar community, and with the establishment of the Kollam vicariate in 1853 under Belgian Carmelites, Kottar grew into a vibrant missionary region. Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger, the architect of the modern diocese, fostered education by establishing over 100 schools and promoted devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, building the first churches in the world in her honour after her beatification. On 26 May 1930, the southern portion of the Kollam diocese became the Diocese of Kottar with Bishop Lawrence Pereira as its first bishop, followed by Bishop Thomas Roch Agniswamy in 1939 who expanded parishes, mission stations, schools and vocations, and in 1963 the diocese was attached to the Archdiocese of Madurai. Bishop Marianus Arockiasamy (1971–1987) implemented Vatican II reforms, established diocesan commissions and pastoral structures, and guided the diocese through the communal riots of 1982, fostering harmony through the Thiruvarul Peravai initiative. Bishop Leon A. Tharmaraj, the first priest from Kottar to become its bishop, strengthened Basic Christian Communities, pastoral councils and lay leadership, and heroically led rehabilitation after the 2004 tsunami. After his death in 2007, Bishop Peter Remigius intensified mission outreach and parish formation, while the beatification process of Devasahayam Pillai advanced, culminating in his beatification in 2012. With the diocese growing to over half a million faithful, the Holy See erected the Diocese of Kuzhithurai in 2015, entrusting it to Msgr. Jerome Dhas Varuvel SDB. After bifurcation, Kottar continued pastoral and developmental expansion, and in 2017 Pope Francis appointed Fr. Nazarene Soosai as its bishop, who, with the motto “In the mind of Christ,” guides the diocese as it flourishes today with 95 parishes, 35 substations, over 290 priests, nearly 500 religious sisters and more than 2.4 lakh faithful living in harmony across Kanniyakumari district.