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Metropolitan see Puducherry, India

Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore

Pondicherien(sis) et Cuddaloren(sis)

Latin-rite metropolitan archdiocese in Tamil Nadu, India, rooted in the 18th-century Karnatic Mission, made an apostolic vicariate on 1 September 1836 and raised to an archbishopric on 1 September 1886; it took its present name in 1953. Its seat is the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pondicherry, with suffragans Dharmapuri, Kumbakonam, Salem, and Tanjore. Catholics number about 400,400 (2021).

On the map

Esri
The address the register holds for Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry, in Puducherry, India.

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Established
1836
Catholics
400,361
Priests
234
Territory
15,250 km²

Parishes and churches

14 listed churches in our records. Open a parish for Mass times, confession, directions and sources where recorded.

This is our recorded coverage, not an official diocesan parish count. Confirm service times with the parish before travelling.

The bishop

Archbishop
Francis Kalist
Born
4 June 1957
Birthplace
Kanyakumari

Explore the ministry of the bishop.

The cathedral

Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry stands in Puducherry, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.

On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.

History

Serving the faithful of Pondicherry and Cuddalore in India, this Latin metropolitan see of the Catholic Church carries the Latin title Archidioecesis Pondicheriensis et Cuddalorensis.