Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Kottayam 1911 - 1923 - (1955)

Pope Pius X restored the Apostolic Vicariate of Kottayam by the Brief "Universi Christiani" of 1911, "Pro gente suddistica" i.e for the section of Syro-Malabar Christians, who are known as Suddhists, descendants of the Colony of Emigrants in the year 345 AD under the leadership of Thomas of Kinai from Edessa, Syria. The Vicariate comprised all the churches and chapels belonging to the Suddhist community on the Malabar coast.

Later, Pope Pius XI raised the Apostolic Vicariate of Kottayam to the status of a Diocese on December 21, 1923 by the Bull "Romani Pontifices" by creating the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy.

By a Decree of April 29, 1955, the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Kottayam was extended to all Suddhists of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ernakulam and Changanacherry. Although Kottayam is in the Province of Changanacherry, the Bishop of Kottayam was given jurisdiction over the Suddhists in both of these two Provinces.

-CT (Information from Mr. Gerard Lovell, source: from http://www.cbcisite.com/ (site closed as of January 2003))