VERAPOLY, ARCHDIOCESE of. – Situated in south-western India, State of Cochin-Travancore. It borders the dioceses of Calicut, Coimbatore, Vijayapuram, and Coccino.
After the erection of the diocese of Coccino (4 February 1558), all Catholics of the Latin rite residing between the boundaries of the archdiocese of Goa and Cape Comorin—and therefore also those in the territory of V.—were placed under the jurisdiction of Coccino, while those of the Syro-Malabar rite depended on the archdiocese of Cranganore (formerly the diocese of Angamale). In 1653, while the prelate Garcia was archbishop of Cranganore, a schism broke out among the St Thomas Christians of the Syro-Malabar rite; Pope Alexander VII then sent (1656) to Malabar, as apostolic commissioner, the Carmelite Fr Giuseppe di S. Maria (Girolamo Sebastiani), with four confrères. Having succeeded in bringing 84 of the 116 dissenting parishes back into the unity of the Church, although they did not wish to return under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Garcia, Fr Giuseppe was consecrated titular bishop of Gerapoli in order to care for the Syro-Malabar and Latin Catholics of Malabar. Thus, in 1659, the apostolic vicariate of Serra del Malabar arose for those faithful who, either because of adverse circumstances or because of the persecution of the Dutch, who had seized Coccino, could not benefit from-
(by F. Sacorgana di Brazo), Un inventore del 500, Fausto Veranzio da Sebenico, Roma 1932;
VERANZIO, ANTONIO - Project for a bridge with a single rope by V. FAUSTINO. Engraving from an oil painting - Sebenico, property of Count Draganich-Verantio.
the ordinary jurisdiction of Cranganore and Coccino. On 24 April 1838, the jurisdiction of these two dioceses was then suspended, the entire territory of the two dioceses being assigned to the apostolic vicariate of Serra del Malabar, until such time as the influence of the Portuguese Padroado ceased to be obstructed by the Dutch.
On 10 April 1840, the apostolic vicar of Serra del Malabar was promoted to archbishop in partibus (with particular regard to the faithful of the Syro-Malabar rite), and on 15 March 1853 the division of the apostolic vicariate was confirmed, having already been effected in practice in 1845 by Pope Gregorius XVI, into three vicariates: V., Canarense, or of Mangalore, and Quilon. On 1 September 1886, the apostolic vicariate of V. archdiocese, and the see was constituted metropolitan, with Quilon as its suffragan. In 1930, the diocese of Vijayapuram was detached from II. Within the territory of the archdiocese of V. there also extends that of the archdiocese of Ernakulam for Syro-Malabar Catholics. At present (1953) it has four suffragan dioceses, namely: Kottar, Quilon, Trivandrum del Latini, Vijayapuram.
It is entrusted to the indigenous clergy and has an area of 4,800 sq. km., with 1,614,120 inhabitants, classified as follows: 134,966 Latin Catholics, 349,500 Catholics of the Syro-Malabar rite, 55,500 dissenters of the Eastern rite, 17,700 Protestants, 2,151 Jews, 130,300 Muslims, and 924,000 pagans. Approximately 150 priests, almost all Indians, 90 belonging to the secular clergy and the remainder to the Carmelite Order, exercise the sacred ministry there, assisted by about twenty brothers and 282 nuns from various religious institutes. There is one seminary with 46 students. About thirty clerics pursue philosophical and theological studies at the Regional Seminary of Alwaye, at Tiruchirapally, and at the Urban College of Propaganda Fide in Rome. The diocese is divided into five districts or forane vicariates, 45 parishes, 20 primary stations, and 33 secondary stations; there are 51 churches and 47 chapels.
The archdiocese has 74 elementary schools with 11,000 boys and girls, 14 middle schools with more than 2,000 students, 11 secondary schools with 6,000 pupils, and 6 vocational schools with 358 apprentices. There are also two university colleges: St. Albert's College, with 750 students, and St. Teresa's College, with 500 female students. Charitable institutions include one hospital with 35 beds, 11 orphanages with a total of 560 orphans, and 3 homes for the elderly with 71 residents. The diocese also owns three printing presses, where, among other things, about ten periodicals are printed in fairly substantial runs. The confraternities, charitable associations, and Catholic Action circles are flourishing and numerous.