A BRIEF HISTORY OF
THE DIOCESE OF ELURU
The Diocese of Eluru was bifurcated from the erstwhile Diocese of Vijayawada on December 9, 1976 by the Papal Bull ‘Dubitantes’. The Diocese has well defined borders all around: Bay of Bengal in the South, the river Godavari in the East, Diocese of Vijayawada on the west and the Diocese of Khammam in the north. The Diocese with an extent of 10,775 sq.kms has a total population of 55,83,896 and a Catholic population of 3,76,858 spread over 124 parishes. The district of West Godavari is divided into three districts, namely Eluru district, West Godavari district and East Godavari district. Konaseema region is made into a new district with the name, Dr.BR Ambedkar Konaseema district. Thus the jurisdiction of the diocese of Eluru is spread over four revenue districts of the State of Andhra Pradesh. The mission territory of the Diocese of Eluru was part of the Hyderabad Apostolic Vicariate, until the erection of Bezwada as “mission sui juris” in 1933. From 1933 to its bifurcation in 1977, it was part of the Diocese of Vijayawada. So the history of the Diocese of Vijayawada until 1977 can very well be the early history of Eluru. Though the French missionaries, Theatines and Augustinians to be specific, were present at Narsapur and Palakole already in the 17th Century, the organized and substantial evangelization began only with the arrival of the PIME missionaries. From the arrival of Fr. Malberti PIME to Eluru in 1864, the history of the PIME is the history of the Eluru mission. It’s a saga of heroic adventures and toil of PIME missionaries in the soil of Eluru.
NEW BEGINNINGS:
The transfer of Fr. Murphy sounded the death-knell to Eluru mission. But the Eluru mission had a new beginning with the arrival of the PIME missionaries in the mission in 1864. After the sea-quake and 8 Directory - 2022 DIOCESE OF ELURU tidal wave that almost washed away Machilipatnam killing about 20 to 30 thousand people, on November 1, 1864, Eluru became the leading Catholic community of the ‘Telugu’ districts. In 1868, the headquarters from Machilipatnam was moved to Eluru. Fr. L. Malberti PIME moved from Machilipatnam to Eluru. He was succeeded by Fr. Civati PIME who built the first residence for Priests. Fr. Eugune Salvi PIME made contacts with the koyas in the agency area in Polavaram in 1885. Fr. H. Colli began evangelization work in Vatluru in 1902, though the first baptisms here were administered only in 1918 by Fr. Silvio Pasquali.
THE MISSIONARY OF ELURU:
Fr. Silvio Pasquali PIME is undoubtedly the first of the Missionaries of Eluru, reaching Eluru on 12 April 1917. In about five years he baptized Pedapadu, Vatluru, Denduluru, Dosapadu, Lingampadu, Bhogapuram, Chettunnapadu, Agadalalanka, K.Mupparu etc., so much so, in 1922 Bishop Vismara could administer 2000 Confirmations around Eluru. It is reported that Fr. Pasquali administered yearly more than a thousand Baptisms in 1921, 1922 & 1923. The indefatigable soldier laid down arms in 1924 and is venerated by the faithful to this day at his tomb in the Holy Land replica at Pinakadimi. Fr. Ambrose De Battista (later second Bishop of Vijayawada) was the Apostle of the upland mission of Eluru. Appointed Parish Priest of Eluru in 1944, he showed a lot of enthusiasm in the evangelization of Chinthalapudi taluq. He baptized the first three villages of Chinthalapudi. After the return from the concentration camp, he was appointed the first Parish Priest of Chinthalapudi. He also brought to Faith Tedlam and Telesomavaram. The veteran PIME Missionaries were: Fr. Paolo Arlati pioneered the work at Bhimavaram (1935). Fr. Dall’ Agnol at Denduluru (1925), Bhimavaram (1937), Fr. Angelo Bianchi at Vatluru (1925) and Denduluru (1929), Fr. L.Misani at Denduluru (1933), Fr.Baldarelli, Fr.A.Zanini, Fr.A.Ghisaura at Denduluru (1933), Fr. Vincent Pagano at Amalapuram(1946), Fr. Luigi Pozzoli at Fathimapuram and Tedlam (1959), Fr.D.Vivenzi at Kamavarapukota, Fr. Nicholas Frascogna at Palakole (1970), Fr. Angelo Biffi at Tadepalligudem and later at Amalapuram (1953).
THE PIONEER INDIAN CLERGY:
The Indian Clergy who arrived from Kerala made a new epoch in the history of the mission of Eluru. The pioneer Indian missionaries who arrived in the mission were Fr. George Kudilungal (1939), Fr. Thomas Thonakara (1944), Fr. Jacob Medayil (1945) and Fr. Thomas Edacherry (1950). Fr. P. F. Andrade who was instrumental for the set up of pioneer educational institutions came to the mission from Visakhapatnam in 1941. Mention must be made of Bishop Mathew Cheriankunnel, PIME who served the Diocese as a Parish Priest and later helped as a retired Bishop of Kurnool residing at PIME regional house (who died on 3 March, 2022), Fr. Thota Balaswamy, PIME, the first local vocation from the Diocese, Fr. Jose Kaimlett who founded the Shrine of Nirmalagiri and many other institutions and who was also the founder of Heralds of Good News Society for Priests, Sisters of Good News and the Missionaries of Compassion, Fr. T.S. Edward, Fr. John Eudes Fernz, Rev. Fr. Abraham Vellarankala, who served as Procurator and Vicar General, Fr.Thomas Puthussery, who served the Social Service Centre of the Diocese; Fr. Joseph Oliapram and Fr. Mathew Kunnumpuram who developed the mission in Konaseema, both of whom are fondly called as the ‘Fathers of Konaseema.”
BARE-FOOT EVANGELIZERS:
Catechists are the back-bone of evangelization in any Diocese. Its very much true of Eluru Mission. It was these catechists and teachers, very loyal to the PIME missionaries who could not communicate well with the local people with their little knowledge of Telugu that have brought thousands of faithful to the Church in Eluru. Some of these catechists were endowed with special privileges during the time of the World War II, when the missionaries were interned. The catechists assisted greatly the missionaries and they have a very deserving place of honour in the history of the Diocese of Eluru.