St. Mary's Cathedral, Punalur

This is the first church in the centuries old history of this industrial town Punalur, on the banks of Kallada river. Catholics and Christian faithful working in Punalur Paper Mills, Railway and Rubber Estates along with the farmers were the early community of the church. Schools, orphanage, mission centers and other institutions start building gradually to meet the growing demands of the community of vibrant ethnic culture.

Brief history

Belgian Carmelite Missionaries were the First Fathers of Punalur and of places around Punalur. During the Second World War the First Fathers had to go back, entrusting the Church work to the Diocesan clergy of Quilon (Kollam). Punalur was separated from the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam) and created into a separate unit by the Bull “Verba Christ” of Pope John Paul II, issued on December 21, 1985.

Present Diocese of Punalur extended to the entire civil district of Pathanamthitta, taluks of Kottarakara, and Kunnathur, Mavelikara, and several pakuthies of the taluks of Karunagappally and Chengannur.

=

ee also

*Roman Catholic Church

External links

* [http://www.cbcisite.com/Punalur.htm CBCI official website]
* [http://www.quilondiocese.org/index.htm Quilon Diocese]