Other Nations—4
Central Asia

This blog is the fourth of six to discuss nations that do not have ecclesiastic provinces.  Typically these jurisdictions are subject directly to the pope.  This blog covers the Central Asian nations of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan became a nation in 1747, but later came under British control which lasted until 1919.  Tradition has it that the Apostles Thomas and Bartholomew preached in Afghanistan and there is a record of a Diocese of Herat in the 5th Century.  Eventually there were Orthodox and Nestorian Christians in Afghanistan, but today the nation’s 35 million people are almost 100 percent Muslim.  The Italian Embassy in Kabul was allowed to open a chapel in 1921 for foreign Catholics only.  Pope John Paul II established the Mission sui juris of Afghanistan in 2002 to serve the needs of the few hundred foreign Catholics in the country.  The mission is immediately subject to the Pope.  U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan are served by military chaplains.

Armenia

Armenia has been ruled by a succession of stronger neighbors for most of the last 2,000 years.  It became part of the Soviet Union in 1920 and gained independence in 1991.  Catholicism came to Armenia during Apostolic times—it is thought that the Apostles Bartholomew and Jude Thaddeus preached there and that Bartholomew was martyred there.  Armenia claims to be the first nation to have made Christianity the State Religion.  Almost 93 percent of Armenia’s three million people belong to the Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church.  Estimates of the number of Catholics varies from 14,000 to 280,000—most Catholics live in Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country.  Roman Rite Catholics are served by the Apostolic Administration of Caucasus (Georgia and Armenia) headquartered in Tbilisi, Georgia—see Georgia below.  The Armenian Ordinariate of East Europe serves over 600,000 Armenian Rite Catholics in Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and the Ukraine.  It was established in 1991 and is immediately subject to the Pope.  It is headquartered in Gyumri, Armenia.

Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs in Gyumri.  Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Azerbaijan

Like most nations in this region, Azerbaijan became part of the Russian Empire in the 19th Century and became a Soviet republic in the 1920s.  It gained independence in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Catholicism was introduced in Azerbaijan during the time of the Apostles, but Islam eventually became dominant.  Catholic missionaries came to the region starting in the 14th Century and established Catholic centers, but the by the 19th Century, there were few Catholics.  As part of the Russian Empire, Catholics from Germany, Poland, the Ukraine, and other European nations, came to Azerbaijan on a temporary or permanent basis.  A church was built in Baku in 1912, but it was destroyed by the Soviets in 1931, who also killed the parish priest.  Today, 97 percent of the 10 million people of Azerbaijan are Muslim.  The remainder are Orthodox Christians.  There are 600 Catholics served by the Apostolic Prefecture of Azerbaijan which has one parish in Baku (built in 2007).  The Prefecture was founded as a Mission sui juris in 2000 and became an apostolic prefecture in 2011.  It is immediately subject to the Pope.

Georgia

Georgia was part of the Roman Empire in the first centuries after Christ and eventually was dominated by the Persians, Arabs, and Turks.  Georgia became part of the Russian Empire in the 19th Century and later became part of the Soviet Union.  It gained its independence in 1991.    St. Nino brought Catholicism to Georgia in the 4th Century, but most Georgians eventually became Orthodox Christians.  Catholic missionaries have been active in Georgia for the last 400 years.  Over 83 percent of Georgia’s four million people today are Orthodox.  Catholics number about 100,000—equally divided between the Roman Rite and the Armenian Rite.  Most Catholics are in Tbilisi, the capital, or in the southern part of Georgia.  Roman Rite Catholics are served by the Apostolic Administration of Caucasus (Georgia and Armenia) headquartered in Tbilisi.  The Administration was established in 1993 and is immediately subject to the Pope.  The Armenian Ordinariate of East Europe serves over 600,000 Armenian Rite Catholics in Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and the Ukraine—see Armenia above.

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tbilisi.  Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian Empire in 1876 and became a Soviet Republic in 1936. It gained its independence in 1991.  About 85 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s 6 million people are Muslim and most of the rest are Russian Orthodox.  Although there is some evidence that there were Catholics in the region as early as the 14th Century, most of today’s Kyrgyzstani Catholics are descendants of the Germans, Poles, and other Europeans who were exiled to Kyrgyzstan by the Soviets in the 1930s and 1940s.  Germans built the first Catholic church in 1969 and today there are about 1,000 Catholics in the country served by three parishes and some missions.  The Mission sui juris of Kyrgyzstan was created in 1997 and became an Apostolic Administration in 2006.  It is immediately subject to the Pope.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan came under the control of Russia in the 19th Century and became a Soviet Republic in 1929.  It gained independence in 1991.  During the Soviet period, German Catholics came to Tajikistan from Lithuania, Russia, and the Ukraine.  Many of these Catholics left during the civil war in Tajikistan in the 1990s.  Today, 98 percent of Tajikistan’s 8.6 million people are Muslim.  The number of Catholics is estimated to be as low as 150 and as high as 4,000.  They are served by the Mission sui juris of Tajikistan and its four priests and two parishes.  The Mission was established in 1997 and is immediately subject to the Pope.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has been ruled by the Persians, the Greeks, the Muslims, the Mongols, the Turks, and most recently by the Russians.  Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924 before gaining its independence in 1991.  There were Catholic churches in Turkmenistan, but all were destroyed by the Soviets in the 1920s.  About 89 percent of Turkmenistan’s 5.4 million people today are Muslim and 9 percent are Russian Orthodox.  Estimates of the number of Catholics in Turkmenistan ranges from 250 to 1,000.  Pope John Paul II established the Mission sui juris of Turkmenistan in 1997 that has one parish and two priests.  It is immediately subject to the Pope.

Uzbekistan

What is now Uzbekistan was conquered by the Russians in the 19th Century.  Uzbekistan became a Russian republic in 1924 before gaining its independence in 1991.  There is evidence that there were Christians in the area by the 7th Century, but most of the people eventually became Muslim.  Russia’s dominance of Uzbekistan resulted in a small population of Russian Orthodox Christians.  Today, 88 percent of the 30 million Uzbeks are Muslim and about 9 percent are Russian Orthodox.  There are about 4,000 Catholics, many of whom are of Polish ethnicity.  A Mission sui juris of Uzbekistan was established in 1997 and this became an apostolic administration in 2005.  The apostolic administration is immediately subject to the Pope.

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Tashkent.  All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic prefectures, apostolic administrations, ordinariates, and missions sui juris.

Most Catholics in the world belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.  Many Catholics belong to one of two dozen Eastern rite churches.  Eastern rite churches trace their heritage to Eastern Europe and Asia.

India—2

This blog will cover seven Roman-rite provinces in northeastern India.

Province of Calcutta

The province consists of the State of West Bengal.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta began as an apostolic vicariate in 1834 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1886.

The Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary in Calcutta was built by the Portuguese in 1799.  The Cathedral has two domed towers and contains many sculptures including a Madonna and Child near the main altar.  The Cathedral also has bas relief Stations of the Cross.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has seven suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Krishnagar was established as a Mission sui juris in 1855, became an apostolic prefecture in 1870, before being promoted to a diocese in 1886.
• The Diocese of Jalpaiguri was established in 1952.
• The Diocese of Darjeeling was established as a Mission sui juris in 1929, became an apostolic prefecture in 1931, and was promoted to a diocese in 1962.
• The Diocese of Baruipur was established in 1977.
• The Diocese of Raiganj was established in 1978.
• The Diocese of Bagdogra was established in 1997.
• The Diocese of Asansol was established in 1997.

Province of Ranchi

The province consists of the State of Jharkhand and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  The Diocese of Ranchi was created in 1927 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ranchi in 1953.  The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Ranchi was built in the first half of the last century.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Jamshedpur was established in 1962.
• The Diocese of Dumka was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1952 and was promoted to a diocese in 1962.
• The Diocese of Daltonganj was established in 1971.
• The Diocese of Port Blair was established in 1984.
• The Diocese of Gumla was established in 1993.
• The Diocese of Simdega was established in 1993.
• The Diocese of Hazaribag was established in 1995.
• The Diocese of Khunti was established in 1995.

Province of Shillong

The province consists of the States of Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and part of Assam.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong began as an apostolic prefecture in 1889, became a diocese in 1934, and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1969.

The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Shillong was built in 1936 in a Gothic style.  It is built on sand so as to better withstand earthquakes.  The Cathedral’s terra cotta Stations of the Cross were made by the Art Institute of Munich, Germany.  The stained glass windows were made in France.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Aizawl was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1952 and became a diocese in 1969.
• The Diocese of Tura was established in 1973.
• The Diocese of Agartala was established in 1996.
• The Diocese of Jowai was established in 2006.
• The Diocese of Nongstoin was established in 2006.

Province of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar

The province consists of the State of Odisha.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar began as the Mission sui juris of Cuttack in 1928, became the Diocese of Cuttack in 1937, and the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in 1974.  The Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary is in Cuttack—the parish was established in 1850.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Sambalpur was established in 1951.
• The Diocese of Berhampur was established in 1974.
• The Diocese of Rourkela was established in 1979.
• The Diocese of Balasore was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1968 and became a diocese in 1989.
• The Diocese of Rayagada was established in 2016.

Province of Guwahati

The province consists of the States of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, and most of the State of Assam.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guwahati began as a diocese in 1992 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1995.

Christ the Bearer of Good News Cathedral in Guwahati was built between 2008 and 2010.  See guwahatiarchdiocese.org.

All are from the Archdiocesan website.

St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral in Guwahati dates to the 19th Century, but the current church was completed in 1991.  The following year it became a Cathedral for the new Diocese of Guwahati and remained so until 2010 when it was replaced by Christ the Bearer of Good News Cathedral.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Dibrugarh was established in 1951.
• The Diocese of Tezpur was established in 1964.
• The Diocese of Diphu was established in 1983.
• The Diocese of Bongaigaon was established in 2000.
• The Diocese of Itanagar was established in 2005.
• The Diocese of Miao was established in 2005.

Province of Imphal

The province consists of the States of Manipur and Nagaland.  The Diocese of Imphal was created in 1973 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1995.  St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Imphal was built in 1999 in a style described as Anglo Manipuri fusion.

The top picture is from Flickr and the other two are from Wikipedia.

The Province has one suffragan diocese.

• The Diocese of Kohima was established in 1980.

Province of Patna

The province consists of the State of Bihar.  The Apostolic Vicariate of Patna was created in 1845, suppressed in 1886, and was restored in 1917.  Patna became a diocese in 1919 and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1999.

Queen of Apostles Cathedral in Patna was built in the 1970s.  The Cathedral has 10,000 parishioners. See queenoftheapostleskurji.com.

From the Cathedral website.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Bhagalpur was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1956 and became a diocese in 1965.
• The Diocese of Muzaffarpur was established in 1980.
• The Diocese of Bettiah was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1892, was suppressed in 1918, and became a diocese in 1998.
• The Diocese of Purnea was established in 1998.
• The Diocese of Buxar was established in 2005.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates and apostolic prefectures.  Both are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  There is also a jurisdiction called a mission sui juris.  A mission sui juris may be part of a province and is often administered by a bishop of another diocese.

India—1

India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations.  Europeans colonized portions of India in the 16th Century, including the Portuguese at Goa in 1510.  By the 19th Century, the British took control of India and it became one of England’s most important colonies.  India gained independence in 1947 before separating into the separate nations of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Tradition holds that St. Thomas the Apostle brought the Catholic Faith to India in the First Century (St. Bartholomew the Apostle may also have come to India). European missionaries visited in the 16th Century and found native Indians practicing a form of Catholicism.  These missionaries included Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, and especially Jesuits.  The great Jesuit missionary, St. Francis Xavier, came to Goa in 1542 and is buried there.

The population of India is 1.3 billion and 80 percent are Hindu.  Another 14 percent are Muslim and just over 2 percent are Christian.  There are about 20 million Catholics, mostly in Southern India, at least 10 million Protestants, and about 4 million Orthodox Christians.  Indian Catholics belong to one of three liturgical rites:  Roman, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankar.

Most Catholics in the world belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.  Many Catholics belong to one of two dozen Eastern rite churches—including the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar churches.

Syro-Malabar Catholics are the descendants of the St. Thomas Christians.  European missionaries converted them from a 5th Century heresy related to the human and divine natures of Jesus.  There are 4 million Syro-Malabar Catholics in India today.  Syro-Malankar Catholics broke away from the Malankara Orthodox Church in 1930 and today number 400,000 in India.

This blog will cover nine Roman-rite provinces in southern India.

Province of Goa and Daman

The province consists of the State of Goa, the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, and part of the State of Maharashtra.  The Diocese of Goa was established in 1533 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1558.  It attained its current name in 1928, before being demoted to an archdiocese in 1976.  It once again became a metropolitan archdiocese in 2006.  The Archbishops of Gao and Daman were given the title, Patriarch of the East Indies, by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. 

The Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Old Goa (also known as Se Cathedral) was built by the Portuguese between 1562 and 1619.  The Cathedral is built in a Portuguese-Manueline style with a Tuscan exterior and a Corinthian interior.  It originally had two towers, but one collapsed in 1776.  The main altar has six gilded panels depicting the life of St. Catherine.  The Cathedral also has a large bell that is reputed to be one of the best in the world.  The Chapel of the Cross of Miracles is on the site where a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1619.  A baptismal font from 1532 was used by St. Francis Xavier to baptize many Indian converts—St. Francis is buried in another church in Goa.  The Cathedral is one of the largest churches in Asia, measuring 250 feet long, 181 feet wide, and 115 feet tall.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Holy Jesus (Bom Jesus) in Daman was built in 1603 but is no longer a cathedral.  Pope Pius XII declared the church to be a minor basilica in 1946.

The Province has one suffragan diocese.

• The Diocese of Sindhudurg was created in 2005.

Province of Madras and Mylapore

The province is in the northern part of the State of Tamil Nadu.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore became as an apostolic prefecture in 1642, became an apostolic vicariate in 1642, and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1886.

St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica is in Chennai (also known as Madras).  St. Thomas the Apostle is believed to have preached the Gospel in India between A.D. 52 and his martyrdom in A.D. 72.  The Portuguese built a church on the site of his martyrdom and tomb in 1547.  The British replaced this church with the current church in 1893.  The neo-Gothic Cathedral has stained-glass windows depicting St. Thomas’ life, 13th Century wall plaques, a 16th Century stone sundial, and a 450-year-old Madonna made in Portugal.  The chapel in the basement contains relics of St. Thomas and the lance that killed him.  Pope Pius XII honored the Cathedral as a minor basilica in 1956.

All pictures are from Wikipedia

The Co-Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels in Chennai was built by the Capuchins in the 17th Century and served as the archdiocesan cathedral from 1886 to 1952.

As noted.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Coimbatore was created as an apostolic vicariate in 1850 and became a diocese in 1886.
• The Diocese of Vellore was created in 1952.
• The Diocese of Ootacamund was created in 1955.
• The Diocese of Chingleput was created in 2002.

Province of Verapoly

The province consists of the northern part of the State of Kerala.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly was established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Malabar in 1659 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly in 1886.  St. Francis Assisi Cathedral in Ernakulam (Kochi) was built between 1977 and 1981.

Both pictures are from blogspot.com.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Cochin was created in 1558, was suppressed in 1838, and restored in 1886.
• The Diocese of Calicut was created in 1923.
• The Diocese of Vijayapuram was created in 1930.
• The Diocese of Kottapuram was created in 1987.
• The Diocese of Kannur was created 1998.
• The Diocese of Sultanpet was created in 2013.

Province of Pondicherry and Cuddalore

The province consists of the central part of the State of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore was established in 1776 as the Mission sui juris of Coromandel Coast.  It became the Apostolic Vicariate of Pondicherry in 1836 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1887.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pondicherry was originally built by Jesuits in 1689 when Pondicherry was a French colony, but the Dutch destroyed it the next year.  A second church was built in 1699, but it was replaced by a larger church in 1736.  The British destroyed this church in 1761. The current church was built between 1765 and 1791.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Kumbakonam was created in 1899.
• The Diocese of Salem was created in 1930.
• The Diocese of Tanjore was created in 1952.
• The Diocese of Dharmapuri was created in 1997.

Province of Bangalore

The province consists of the State of Karnataka.  The Diocese of Bangalore was created in 1940 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1953.

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Bangalore was built between 1911 and 1932 and has two domed towers.  The building is made of granite with concrete roofing covered with Mangalore tiles.  The Cathedral is 160 feet wide and can hold 5,000 people. The floor is made of white and red granite. The stained glass windows depict the mysteries of the Rosary and other biblical themes.  See sfxcathedralbangalore.in.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has nine suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Mangalore was established as an apostolic vicariate in 1674 before being suppressed in 1700.  It once again became an apostolic vicariate in 1845 and a diocese in 1886.
• The Diocese of Mysore was established as an apostolic vicariate in 1850 and became a diocese in 1886.
• The Diocese of Bellary was established as a Mission sui juris in 1928 and was promoted to a diocese in 1949.
• The Diocese of Belgaum was established in 1953.
• The Diocese of Chikmagalur was established in 1963.
• The Diocese of Karwar was established in 1976.
• The Diocese of Shimoga was established in 1988.
• The Diocese of Gulbarga was established in 2005.
• The Diocese of Udupi was established in 2012.

Province of Hyderabad

The province consists of the States of Telangana and western Andhra Pradesh.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hyderabad began as an apostolic vicariate in 1851, became a diocese in 1886, and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1953.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hyderabad was constructed in the early 1870s and seats 500.  The façade and bell towers were added in 1891.  The five bells in the bell tower were made in Italy.  The Cathedral has an imitation of Michelangelo’s Pieta.  Other art work includes marble statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Anthony, an oil painting of the Madonna and Child, and bas-relief Stations of the Cross.  See stjosephcathedral.in.

Picture from Wikipedia.  See the Cathedral website for more pictures.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Warangal was created in 1952.
• The Diocese of Kurnool was created in 1967.
• The Diocese of Nalgonda was created in 1976.
• The Diocese of Cuddapah was created in 1976.
• The Diocese of Khammam was created in 1988.
• The Syro-Malabar Diocese of Adilabad was created in 1999.

Province of Madurai

The province is in the southern part of Tamil Nadu civil province.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madurai began as a diocese in 1938 before being promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1953.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows in Madurai was built between 1912 and 1916 in a Gothic style.  The Cathedral was expanded in the 1960s and has two spires and a marble altar.  See maduraiarchdiocese.weebly.

The top picture is from the local tourist board and the bottom picture is from Panaramio.

The Province has seven suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Tiruchirapalli was established in 1606 as a Mission sui juris, but was suppressed in 1773.  It became an apostolic vicariate in 1836 and a diocese in 1886.
• The Diocese of Tuticorin was established in 1923.
• The Diocese of Kottar was established in 1930.
• The Diocese of Palayamkottai was established in 1973.
• The Diocese of Sivagangai was established in 1987.
• The Diocese of Dindigul was established in 2003.
• The Diocese of Kuzhithurai was established in 2014.

Province of Visakhapatnam

The province consists of the eastern part of the State of Andhra Pradesh.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam began as an apostolic pro-vicariate in 1845, became an apostolic vicariate in 1850, a diocese in 1886 before being promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 2001.

Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Visakhapatnam was completed in 1981 and became the Archdiocesan cathedral in 1986.  See archdioceseofvisakhapatnam.org.

See www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVbZIAyLbI


St. Anne’s Co-Cathedral in Visakhapatnam traces its origins to a 1770 house church—the first Catholic church in the city.  The current church was completed in 1854 and became the Cathedral for the Diocese.  It became the Co-Cathedral in 1986.

From the Archdiocesan website.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Nellore was established in 1928.
• The Diocese of Vijayawada was established as a Mission sui juris in 1933 before becoming a diocese in 1937.
• The Diocese of Guntur was established in 1940.
• The Diocese of Eluru was established in 1976.
• The Diocese of Srikakulam was established in 1993.

Province of Trivandrum

The province consists of southern Kerala civil province.  The Diocese of Trivandrum was established in 1937 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Trivandrum in 2004.

The Cathedral of St. Joseph in Trivandrum began as a parish church in 1873, but has been enlarged.  The Gothic façade and bell tower were added in 1927.  The bell tower has three bells that were made in Belgium.  Renovations were done between 2008 and 2010 when the church was painted white, rather than red.  See stjosephmetropolitancathedraltrivandrum.org.

Pictures are from the Archdiocesan website, Panaramio, and Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Alleppey was created in 1952.
• The Diocese of Neyyattinkara was created in 1996.
• The Diocese of Punalur was created in 1985.
• The Diocese of Quilon was created in 1329, but suppressed in 1533.  It was restored as an apostolic vicariate in 1845 and once again became a diocese in 1886.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic pro-vicariates, apostolic vicariates, and apostolic prefectures.  All are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  There is also a jurisdiction called a mission sui juris.  A mission sui juris may be part of a province and is often administered by a bishop of another diocese.

A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  Some cathedrals are also basilicas.  Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell.  Both of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.