Eparchies in Canonical Territory (18)

Eparchies Outside Canonical Territory (12)

Jurisdiction

Currently there are 30 Eparchial Sees in the Syro-Malabar Church, of which 5 are Archeparchies and 25 Eparchies. All the 5 Archeparchies as well as 13 eparchies are within the canonical territory which includes the whole of Kerala and some districts of the neighboring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The 13 eparchies within canonical territory are organized into suffragans of the 4 Metropolitan Sees. The Archeparchy of Kottayam is an Archeparchy without suffragan eparchies. Major Archbishop and the Synod has full authority over these 18 eparchial Sees.

The 12 Syro-Malabar Eparchies outside the canonical territory are directly under the Pope. Although their Bishops are members of the Syro-Malabar Bishop's Synod, the Major Archbishop has only limited authority over them. These eparchies are generally suffragans of the nearby Latin Archdioceses.

In the Archeparchies and Eparchies within the canoncial territory and in the Eparchies of Kalyan, Faridabad and St. Thomas Diocese of Chicago, the authority of the respective bishops is over the Syro-Malabar Catholics only. The Syro-Malankara and Latin Catholics of these areas are under the respective Syro-Malankara or Latin bishop. On the other hand, in all other Syro-Malabar dioceses the authority of the Syro-Malabar bishop is exclusive. That is to say all Catholics, whether they are Syro-Malabarian, Syro-Malankarite or Latin living in these areas are under the Syro-Malabar bishop of the place. In a similar pattern all the Syro-Malabarians living in other areas are under the local Latin bishop. For example the Syro-Malabarians in Bangalore or Madras or other Indian or foreign places, even though they have many Syro-Malabar parishes, are under the Latin Bishop of the place.