History Archdiocese

   The old Diocese of Mylapore was erected by Pope Paul V on 9th January 1606, by an agreement between the Holy Father and the King of Portugal. By virtue of this arrangement which was known as ‘Padroado’, the King of Portugal was vested with special powers to appoint Bishops and Priests in specified areas and to support them financially in their work of Evangelization. The padroado system and the arrangement suffered due to the civil disturbance and transfer of power in Portugal and was finally cancelled by the Holy Father in the year 1950 and the Diocese of Mylapore came under the jurisdiction of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide from 10th October 1950. The last padroado Bishop of Mylapore, His Excellency Dom MM Guerreiro was transferred on 2nd March 1951 to the See of Nampula in Mozambique in Portuguese East Africa. On Bishop Guerreiro’s transfer, his Vicar General, the Rt Rev Monsignor Francis Arthur Carvalho was appointed, by the Propaganda Fide Congregatio...