Archdiocese of Hyderabad Marks 140 Years of Catholic Hierarchy

Secunderabad, September 14, 2026: The Archdiocese of Hyderabad commemorated 140 years of Catholic hierarchy in India and the establishment of the Diocese of Hyderabad with a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration on September 4.

Held under the theme “Grateful for the Past, Faithful in the Present, Hopeful for the Future,” the celebration brought together Cardinal Anthony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad, priests of the archdiocese, religious men and women and lay faithful.

Cardinal Poola presided over the Eucharistic celebration, which recalled the major milestones in the history and growth of the Catholic Church in Hyderabad.

The year 1886 marked a turning point for the Catholic Church in India. On September 1 that year, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the Apostolic Constitution Humanae Salutis Auctor, formally establishing the Catholic hierarchy in India. As part of the reorganisation, the Apostolic Vicariate of Hyderabad was raised to the status of a diocese, with Bishop Pietro Caprotti, PIME, appointed its first residential bishop.

The following year, St Joseph’s Church, Gunfoundry, was designated as the cathedral and became the spiritual and administrative centre of the newly established diocese.

Over the decades, the Diocese of Hyderabad expanded significantly, eventually giving rise to eight dioceses — Bellary, Vijayawada, Warangal, Kurnool, Cuddapah, Nalgonda, Eluru and Khammam.

Hyderabad was elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese on September 19, 1953, with Archbishop Joseph Mark Gopu becoming its first archbishop. The archdiocese subsequently continued its pastoral journey under Archbishops Joseph Mark Gopu, Samineni Arulappa, Marampudi Joji and Thumma Bala.

In 2020, Archbishop Anthony Poola assumed pastoral leadership of the archdiocese. His elevation to the College of Cardinals in 2022 marked a significant moment for the Telugu-speaking Catholic community. In 2026, Cardinal Poola was elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).

The anniversary celebration also paid tribute to generations of missionaries, bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful whose service contributed to the growth of the Church in Hyderabad over the past 140 years.

The archdiocese’s journey has included contributions to evangelisation, education, healthcare, social service and pastoral ministry, areas that continue to form an important part of its mission.

The anniversary celebration invited the Archdiocesan community to look towards the future with renewed faith and commitment while drawing inspiration from the legacy of previous generations.

The 140th anniversary was thus presented as both an occasion of thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness and a renewed call to mission — grateful for the past, faithful in the present and hopeful for the future.

By Catholic Connect Reporter