Bishop
Mar Sebastian Vadakel MST

Mar John Perumattam
Bishop Emeritus of Ujjain

Ujjain as an ecclesiastical unit in India came into existence when the “Apostolic Exarchate of Ujjain” was erected by Pope Paul VI on 29th July 1968 with the Papal Bull “Apostolicum Munus” and entrusted to the newly formed ‘Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle’. Very Rev. Fr. John Prumattam, the first Director General of the Society was appointed Apostolic Exarch of Ujjain and he was installed on 14th January 1969. The Ap. Exarchate of Ujjain was created by bifurcating the diocese of Indore. The three civil districts of Ujjain, Shajapur and Rajgarh formed the new ecclesiastical unit.

The Apostolic Exarchate of Ujjain was erected as the Eparchy of Ujjain on February 26, 1977, by Pope Paul VI with the Apostolic Letter “Qui Divino Consilio” Msgr. John Perumattam was appointed its first Bishop. He was consecrated bishop by His Excellency late Mar Sebastian Vayalil, Bishop of Palai, on May 15, 1977 and he took Canonical Possession of the office on July 3, 1977. On 5th June 1998, Pope John Paul II accepted his resignation and Farther Sebastian Vadakel was nominated the second bishop of Ujjain. He was consecrated bishop on 8th September 1998 and he took canonical possession of the See on the same day.

The Syro Malabar mission Eparchy of Ujjain has, in the past 38 years of its existence, made earnest efforts to reach the Good News to all the people in the eparchy and to share the love of Jesus with them in various ways. At present there are in the eparchy, 39 mission stations with resident priests and religious sisters. Besides, there are a number of ecclesiastical institutions and apostolate that help in sharing the Good News with the people in the Eparchy