CALICUT, Diocese of. — A suffragan diocese of Bombay in India: it comprises almost the entire Malabar region, with an area of approximately 8,500 sq. km. and a population of about 3,000,000. The territory is almost entirely flat and rich in plantations (tea, coffee, rubber). About one-third of the population consists of "Moplas," a hybrid Muslim race originating from Arab migrations in the 9th century; the rest are indigenous people of Malayali race and language, divided into three classes: Nambudiri, or Brahmins, landowners; Nayars, devoted to military service; and Tijans, coconut cultivators originally from Ceylon. There are also about 2,000 aboriginal hunters.
The history of the Diocese of Calicut, until 1923, is intertwined with those of Mangalore (q.v.), Coimbatore (q.v.), and Mysore (q.v.), whose territories it was constituted from in that year. At that time, the new diocese—administered by Italian Jesuits—counted 7,200 Christians, distributed across several missionary stations, some dating back to the Portuguese colonial period. The three largest centers—Calicut, Cannanore, and Tellicherry—were inherited from Mangalore, evangelized by the Jesuits; the other five came from the two other missions, directed by the Paris Foreign Missions Society. The main difficulties, which persist in part, were—and are—the dispersion and mobility of the population, the resistance of Islam among the Moplas, and the family and social system of property ownership, which restricts the spiritual freedom of its members.
In this first twenty-year period, the missionaries' activity was directed both toward providing schools of various levels for the youth of the cities and toward penetrating the peripheral regions by establishing permanent missions in ancient residences and opening new ones. The Italian Jesuits of the Venetian-Milanese province are assisted, in their work with female and charitable institutions, by the indigenous Carmelite Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel, the Sisters of Charity of Blessed Capitanio, the Ursulines of the Immaculate Mary, and the Brigidine Sisters for the work of perpetual adoration, as well as others.
According to 1947 statistics, the personnel consists of 29 Jesuit priests, 8 Carmelites, and 32 diocesan priests, in addition to 25 Jesuit lay brothers and 29 Carmelite lay brothers, and 206 sisters, of whom only 22 are Italian and one Swiss, the rest being indigenous. The indigenous Catholics number 32,031; foreigners, 53; of mixed descent, 1,486; Eastern dissidents, 5,456; Protestants, 12,800; Muslims, 1,002,000; and pagans, 1,946,000. There are 21 parishes, 20 primary stations, and 58 secondary stations. There are 24 elementary schools with 2,467 pupils; 19 middle schools with 5,052 pupils; 11 higher schools with 5,189 pupils; 3 vocational schools with 81 pupils; and 3 teacher-training schools with 87 female pupils. The following periodicals are published: *The Eucharistic Crusade* (3,700 copies), *Leaders' Bulletin* (475 copies), and *Shrine Visitor* (800 copies). Catholic associations and charitable works are also highly developed.