1. The Erection of the Exarchate
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 it to the newly formed Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle. Father John Perumattam, the first Director General of the Society was appointed the Apostolic Exarch of Ujjain and he was installed as the Exarch at Ujjain on 14th January 1969. The 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.
When the Exarchate was formed, there were just two Mass Centres where Sunday Mass was regularly celebrated; Ujjain and Nagda. At Ujjain there was a small church and a resident priest who cared for the pastoral needs of a handful of Christian families in Ujjain and Nagda. Three priest members of the Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle under the leadership of Msgr. John Perumattam, formed the pioneer missionary team. Slowly several women religious congregations joined the Exarchate as collaborators. By the zealous missionary work of the priests and religious sisters, there came up many mission centers with real mission work through apostolic activities and direct preaching.
2. The Eparchy of Ujjain
The Apostolic Exarchate of Ujjain was erected as the Eparchy of Ujjain on February 26, 1977, by Pope Paul VI with the memorable Apostolic Letter "Qui Divino Consilio" and appointed Msgr. John Perumattam as its first Bishop. The Bishop elect was consecrated by His Excellency late Mar Sebastian Vayalil on May 15, 1977. The inauguration of the Eparchy of Ujjain and the installation of its new Bishop was performed by His Grace Archbishop Eugene D'Souza of Bhopal Archdiocese on July 3, 1977. The Eparchy of Ujjain is ad instar under the Latin ecclesiastical province of Bhopal. Under the leadership and guidance of Bishop Mar John Perumattam, the Eparchy of Ujjain made great progress in the field of evangelization in its totality. On 5th June 1998, Holy Father accepted his resignation and Father Sebastian Vadakel was nominated the second bishop of Ujjain. He was consecrated as bishop on 8th September 1998 and he took canonical possession of the See on the same day.
The Eparchy of Ujjain has, in the past 47 years of its existence as a separate ecclesiastical unit, succeeded, to a great extent, to reach the Gospel to almost all the corners of the eparchy. This has been achieved mainly by establishing mission stations in different parts of the eparchy and carrying out various apostolic activities from these centers to the neighbouring towns and villages. There are 40 such mission stations and many other institutions, where, with the help of resident priests and religious, the apostolates are carried out.
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