Mary Matha Major Seminary is a Christian seminary founded by

Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur The Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Trichur-Palayoor, in Thrissur District of Central Kerala, India, with nearly half a million Syro-Malabar Catholics now, used to be the largest Catholic diocese in India when it included the Syro-Malab ...

in Mulayam,

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. It is affiliated to the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.

Buildings

Main block Academic and administration building, includes computer labs, seminary office auditorium, chapel, theology and philosophy class rooms, administrative staff and faculty offices, guest rooms, staff dining room, reception and parlour Theology resident block Philosophy resident block Staff resident block and guest house block Dining and kitchen block Library block

History

For years candidates to priesthood from

are sent to Mangalapuzha Seminary, Aluva and St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary,

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...

. But due to the accommodation and over crowding of students in seminaries, the

decided to construct a new seminary for the upcoming priests. The foundation stone of the seminary was laid by First Metropolitan

Archbishop of Thrissur The Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur is the chief bishop and principal leader of the nearly half a million Syro Malabar Catholics now used to be the largest catholic diocese in India, when it included the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Th ...

Joseph Kundukulam Mar Joseph Kundukulam (26 September 1917 – 26 April 1998) was the first metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur, from 1970 to 1997. Kundukulam was succeeded by Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy. Kundukulam retired as ...

on 8 December 1997 in Mannuthy. Later on classes were started on 1 June 1998 by Metropolitan

Jacob Thoomkuzhy Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy (born 13 December 1930) is an East Syriac Catholic Archbishop Emeritus, First Bishop of Mananthavady diocese, Second bishop of Thamarassery diocese and the second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdioc ...

. The seminary was formally inaugurated on 15 August 1998 by Mar

Varkey Vithayathil Varkey Vithayathil (29 May 19271 April 2011) was an Indian cardinal, served as Head and Father of Syro Malabar Church and Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly. He was also a religious priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Ea ...

, the then Apostolic administrator of the

Syro-Malabar Church lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...

Administration and courses

The seminary is run by the

as chairman and an executive council. The present rector of the seminary is Rev. Dr. Tony Neelankavil and vice-rector is Rev. Fr. Jaison Koonamplackal. In the academic year 2017–2018, there are 19 staff members and 170 students.

References

{{authority control Archdiocese of Thrissur Universities and colleges in Thrissur district Seminaries and theological colleges in India Catholic universities and colleges in India Christian organizations established in 1997 Educational institutions established in 1997