Nuncio to inaugurate Trichur archdiocese’s 125th year celebrations

(May 18, 2011) Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio would inaugurate the year-long celebrations of the Trichur Archdiocese completing 125 years on May 20. The celebrations would come to a close in May next year, Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath of Trichur said. On the possibility of the Pope’s participation on the occasion, Archbishop Thazhath said an invitation had been extended to the Pope in person. The prelate, who is also the President of the Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Conference, said late Pope John Paul II had inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Archdiocese in 1986. Various programs, including charitable activities, would be a part of the celebration. The Archdiocese was formed through a special proclamation of the then Pope Leo XIII in May 1887. It had only 100,000 faithful and 68 Churches when it was formed. It has now grown into about 100,000 families with a catholic population of about 500,000, 506 priests and over 3000 nuns.