History

History of Diocese

The Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Satna is spread out in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh and was made Suffragan ad Instar to the ecclesiastical Province of Bhopal in the year 1968. The Eparchy of Satna which comprised of ten civil districts of Madhya Pradesh, namely Satna, Maihar, Chhatarpur, Panna, Niwari, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi, Singrauli and Tikamgarh, with an area of 45,188 sq.km, was bifurcated from the diocese of Jabalpur. The total population of these civil districts is 1,11,23,408 as per 2011 Census. This area was erected Exarchate and entrusted to the Vincentian Congregation by the Holy See on 29 July 1968 by the Papal Bull In More Est of Pope Paul VI. Msgr Abraham D. Mattam of Vincentian Congregation was nominated its first Apostolic Exarch on 15 August 1968.

The Exarchate was raised to the rank of an Eparchy on 12 March 1977 by the Papal Bull Ecclesiarum Orientalium of Pope Paul VI and Mar Abraham D. Mattam was appointed the first Eparch of Satna. He was consecrated Eparch on 30 April 1977. The installation and erection of the Eparchy took place on 31 July 1977. Mar Abraham D. Mattam served the Eparchy for long 32 years in his capacity both as the Exarch and the Eparch.

As Mar Abraham D. Mattam retired at the age of 78, Rev. Fr Mathew Vaniakizhakkel of Vincentian Congregation was appointed as the second Eparch of Satna on 14 January 2000 and was consecrated and installed on 12 April 2000. After completing 14 years of shepherding the Eparchy as a zealous eparch and pastor, he renounced his office on 27 August 2014.

Rev. Fr George Mangalapilly served as the Administrator of the Eparchy for one year. Rev. Fr Joseph Kodakallil, a priest of the Eparchy of Satna, was appointed as the third Eparch of Satna on 22 July 2015. He was consecrated and installed on 15 September 2015.

Extension of Territories

The territory of the Eparchy of Satna is modified by the decree of the Major Archbishop His Beatitude Mar Raphael Thattil on 28 August 2025 by Prot. No.0633/2025 with 9 civil districts of MP: - Jabalpur, Mandla, Shahdol, Dindori, Umaria, Katni, Anuppur, Damoh, Narasinghpur and 6 civil districts of UP- Jhansi, Jalaun, Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur and Mahoba.