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THE PAPAL BULL BY POPE ST. PIUS X INSTITUTING TIIE APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF KOTTAYAM FOR THE SOUTHISTS PEOPLE
THE PAPAL BULL BY POPE ST. PIUS X
INSTITUTING TIIE APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF KOTTAYAM FOR THE SOUTHISTS PEOPLE
PIUS PP. X
For the future record of the fact. In the office divinely entrusted to Us for governing the Universal Christian flock we consider it especially ours to determine for the churches such boundaries which correspond to the good of the faithul and to the desires of those who preside over them. For this reason in order to provide better for the faith and piety of the Syro-Malabar people we have decreed to constitute a new Apostolic Vicariate in their region.
For this people our predecessor of happy memory Pope Leo XIII by a letter similar to this dated July 28, 1896, established three Apostolic Vicariates, namely of Trichur, Ernakulam and Changanacherry and thought it fit to appoint over them three prelates selected from among them.
Now, however, since the three Vicars Apostolic of the same above mentioned Vicariates, after mutual consultation have insistently petitioned us by a letter, dated March 1 of this year, that a new Apostolic Vicariate may be erected in the town commonly called Kottayam in order to satisfactorily cater to the spiritual needs of those regions and to reconcile the minds of the dissidents, we having maturely and diligently considered all the important facts of the matter with our venerable brethren the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church in the Sacred Congregation of propagating the Christian Name for the Affairs of the Oriental Rite, decided to kindly accept such request and show proof of our benevolence to the aforesaid nation.
Therefore, by motuproprio, with sure knowledge and fullness of our power we separate all the Southist parishes and churches from the two Apostolic Vicariates of Ernakulam and Changanacherry and constitute them into a new Apostolic Vicariate in the town commonly known as “Kottayam” for the Southist people. On that account it shall include all the churches and chapels pertaining to the Kottayarn and Kaduthuruthyforanes in the Apostolic Vicariate of Changanacherry and also the Southist churches of the Apostolic Vicariate of Ernakulam.
We want and command these things, decreeing that this letter shall always exist firm, valid and efficacious, and shall gain and obtain full and integral effect and shall most fully favour in all things and every way those whom it pertains and shall pertain in the future, and thus it must be judged invalid and void if it happens to be tampered with by any one of whatever authority knowingly or unknowingly.
Not withstanding our apostolic chancery’s rule of not removing the acquired right, and whatever other Apostolic constitutions to the contrary,
Given at Rome before St. Peter under the fisherman’s ring on the 29th day of August 1911, in the ninth year of our pontificate.
PIUS X THE SUPREME PONTIFF,
(Seal)
Sd/-
R. Card. Merry del Val
Secretary of State.