Diocese of Bijnor
The ecclesiastical unit of Bijnor was established as an Apostolic Exarchate on 23 March 1972 by the Papal Bull Beatorum Apostolorum issued by Pope Paul VI. The mission was entrusted to the Sacred Heart Province of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) for the work of evangelization, and Rev. Fr. Gratian Mundadan CMI was appointed the first Apostolic Exarch. The Exarchate was carved out from the Diocese of Meerut and initially included the civil districts of Bijnor (excluding the then tehsil of Dhampur), Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, and Chamoli in the then state of Uttar Pradesh.
Later, administrative reorganization led to the creation of Haridwar district, incorporating parts of Bijnor and Saharanpur, and Rudraprayag district, which was formed by dividing Pauri. In 2000, with the formation of the new state of Uttarakhand, the districts of Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Haridwar became part of the new state, while Bijnor remained in Uttar Pradesh. Currently, the Eparchy of Bijnor includes Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh and the districts of Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Uttarkashi, and part of Haridwar in Uttarakhand. On 26 February 1977, Pope Paul VI elevated the Apostolic Exarchate of Bijnor to the status of an Eparchy through the Papal Bull Quaecum Romano, appointing Bishop Gratian Mundadan CMI as its first bishop.
The ecclesiastical unit of Bijnor was established as an Apostolic Exarchate on 23 March 1972 by the Papal Bull Beatorum Apostolorum issued by Pope Paul VI. The mission was entrusted to the Sacred Heart Province of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) for the work of evangelization, and Rev. Fr. Gratian Mundadan CMI was appointed the first Apostolic Exarch. The Exarchate was carved out from the Diocese of Meerut and initially included the civil districts of Bijnor (excluding the then tehsil of Dhampur), Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, and Chamoli in the then state of Uttar Pradesh.
Later, administrative reorganization led to the creation of Haridwar district, incorporating parts of Bijnor and Saharanpur, and Rudraprayag district, which was formed by dividing Pauri. In 2000, with the formation of the new state of Uttarakhand, the districts of Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Haridwar became part of the new state, while Bijnor remained in Uttar Pradesh. Currently, the Eparchy of Bijnor includes Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh and the districts of Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Uttarkashi, and part of Haridwar in Uttarakhand. On 26 February 1977, Pope Paul VI elevated the Apostolic Exarchate of Bijnor to the status of an Eparchy through the Papal Bull Quaecum Romano, appointing Bishop Gratian Mundadan CMI as its first bishop.
Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI, the First Bishop of Bijnor
Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI, the first Bishop of Bijnor, was born on 15 May 1933 in the parish of Puthenpally (later renamed Alangad) in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Kerala. He joined the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and made his first profession of religious vows on 16 May 1958. He was ordained a priest on 17 May 1964. While serving as a Mathematics lecturer at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Kerala, he was appointed the Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor and assumed charge on 25 July 1972. Later, His Holiness Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Bishop of Bijnor on 26 February 1977. He was ordained bishop on 6 November 1977 by His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Parekattil at Rajagiri, Kalamassery, Kerala, and was installed as Bishop of Bijnor on 8 December 1977 by His Grace Rev. Dominic Athaide OFM, Cap., then Archbishop of Agra. After 38 years of dedicated and pioneering service in Bijnor, he was relieved of his episcopal responsibilities on 14 August 2009.
Address:
Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI
St. John’s CMI Provincial House
Jalalabad PO, Najibabad, Bijnor Dist.,
Uttar Pradesh-246 763.
E-mail: bishopgratian@gmail.com
Most Rev. John Vadakel CMI, The Second Bishop of Bijnor
Most Rev. John Vadakel CMI, the second Bishop of Bijnor, was born on 17 August 1943 in Bethlehem parish in the Diocese of Kothamangalam, Kerala. He entered the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and made his first religious profession on 16 May 1964. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at Dharmaram College, Bangalore, and was ordained a priest on 19 December 1975 by His Excellency Most Rev. Sebastian Mankuzhikary at Sacred Heart Monastery, Thevara, Kerala. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Kerala University, Trivandrum, and a Master’s Degree in Sociology from H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Spirituality and Counseling from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bangalore. Most of his priestly ministry was dedicated to the Diocese of Bijnor. On 14 August 2009, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the second Bishop of Bijnor. He was ordained and installed as Bishop on 22 October 2009 by Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI, Bishop Emeritus of Bijnor, at St. Joseph’s School Ground, Kotdwar. After serving the diocese faithfully for nearly 10 years, he was relieved of his duties on 30 October 2019. He is currently residing at Santhom Ashram, Khatauli, in the Diocese of Meerut.
Address:
Most Rev. John Vadakell CMI
Santhom Ashram, G.T. Road, Khatauli
Muzaffarnagar Distt., Uttar Pradesh – 251201
Email: johnvadakel75@gmail.com
Most Rev. Vincent Nellaiparambil, Bishop of Bijnor
Most Rev. Vincent Nellaiparambil, the third Bishop of Bijnor, was born on 30 May 1971 in Arippalam and grew up in Thottippal, Mulangue, in Trichur, Kerala. He belongs to St. John’s Forane Church, Parappukkara, in the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda. He joined the Eparchy of Bijnor as a minor seminarian and completed his initial formation at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Kotdwar, until 1990. He pursued his philosophical studies at St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and later served his regency at St. Stephen’s Church, Chandpur. After completing his theological studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary, he was ordained a priest on 8 April 1999 at his home parish by Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI, the first Bishop of Bijnor. He served in several mission stations of the diocese as Priest-in-Charge before pursuing higher studies at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bangalore, and then at Louvain University, Belgium, where he earned a Licentiate in Systematic Theology in 2008. Upon his return, he was appointed Rector of the Diocesan Minor Seminary in Kotdwar and served as the Formation Coordinator of the diocese. From 2012 to 2017, he was part of the resident staff at St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad. He later returned to the Diocese of Bijnor and was appointed Priest-in-Charge of Mary Matha Church in Chinyalisaur, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. On 30 August 2019, he was appointed as the third Bishop of Bijnor, and he was installed on 1 November 2019 by Major Archbishop George Alencherry at St. Joseph’s School Campus, Kotdwar. His episcopal motto is “For God and Humanity through Love.”
Address:
Address Most Rev. Vincent Nellaiparambil
Bishop’s House, P. B. No. 1,
Kotdwar PO Pauri-Garhwal Distt.,
Uttarakhand – 246 149
Email: vincentnellai@gmail.com
Diocese at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Patron Saint | St. Joseph |
| Area | 28,262 sq.km |
| Total Population | 4,165,540 |
| Languages Spoken | Hindi, Garhwali, Urdu & Punjabi |
| Catholic Population | 2,800–3,000 |
| Mission Centers / Parishes | 50+ |
| Diocesan Priests | 61 |
| Religious Priests | 35 |
| Minor Seminarians | 15 |
| Major Seminarians | 15 |
| Regents | 03 |
| Religious Sisters | 220 |
| Catechists | 25 |
| Diocesan Minor Seminary | 01 |
| Religious Minor Seminary | 01 |
| Religious Major Seminary | 01 |
| Formation Houses (Women Religious) | 04 |
| Men Religious Houses | 08 |
| Women Religious Houses | 54 |
| Pastoral Centre | 01 |
| Publications | 01 |
| Printing Press | 01 |
| Senior Secondary Schools | 10 |
| High Schools | 14 |
| Junior High Schools | 03 |
| Primary & Kindergarten | 08 |
| Hospitals & Health Care Centers | 08 |
| Boarding Houses | 04 |
| Social Service Centers | 02 |
| Indian Christian Ashrams | 04 |
| Centers for Differently Abled | 04 |
| Research & Dialogue Centre | 01 |
Historical Milestones of the Diocese
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 23 March 1972 | Erection of Apostolic Exarchate of Bijnor by the papal bull Beatorum Apostolorum of Pope Paul VI and nomination of Fr. Gratian Mundadan CMI as the Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor. |
| 25 July 1972 | Fr. Gratian Mundadan CMI took charge as the Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor. |
| 26 February 1977 | Erection of the Diocese of Bijnor by the Papal Bull Quae Cum Romano of Pope Paul VI and nomination of Apostolic Exarch Gratian Mundadan CMI as the first Bishop of Bijnor. |
| 06 November 1977 | Episcopal Ordination of Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI. |
| 08 December 1977 | Installment of Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI as the first Bishop of Bijnor. |
| 18 May 1981 | Death of 10 Missionaries in road accident at Satpuli. |
| 24 June 1984 | Inauguration of St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Padampur. |
| 19 April 1988 | Priestly ordination of Fr. James Thekkekaithackal, the first diocesan priest. |
| 26 January 1997 | Death of Fr. Peter Moothedan in road accident at Nawada. |
| 05 December 2001 | Laying of the foundation stone for St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Kotdwar. |
| 17 February 2002 | Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Diocese and of the Episcopal Ordination of Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI. |
| 19 November 2002 | Blessing of Ujala Pastoral Centre, Kotdwar. |
| 17 October 2006 | Death of Fr. Mathew Parackal, the Protosyncellus of the Diocese. |
| 04 June 2008 | Priestly Ordination of Fr. Francis Paul Masih, the first native priest of the Diocese (Kalagarh). |
| 14 August 2009 | Appointment of Fr. John Vadakel CMI as the second Bishop of Bijnor. |
| 22 October 2009 | Episcopal Ordination and Enthronement of Most Rev. John Vadakel CMI. |
| 31 October 2011 | Consecration of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Kotdwar. |
| 30 August 2019 | Appointment of Fr. Vincent Nellaiparambil as the third Bishop of Bijnor. |
| 1 November 2019 | Episcopal Ordination and enthronement of Most Rev. Vincent Nellaiparambil. |
| 19 January 2023 | Death of Fr. Melvin Pallithazhathu in a road accident at Joshimath. |