Official Website of CSI Parish Kattakada, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Official Website of CSI Parish Kattakada, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
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Church of South India

  Church of South India (CSI) is the second largest Christian congregation in India, after the Catholic Church. It is also the biggest local Church denomination in India. It has approximately 4 million (40 lakh) members, spread across the four states of southern India, i.e., Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Also, the Church has one diocese functioning in Jaffna (Sri Lanka).
     The CSI is governed by a synod based in Chennai and headed by a presiding bishop bearing the title of Moderator who is elected every two years. The current moderator is Most Rev.  Dyvasirvadam, Bishop of the Godavari diocese (Andhra Pradesh).The deputy moderator is Rt. Rev. Thomas K. Oomman Bishop of Central Kerala Diocese.
     The church is further divided into twenty two dioceses, each under the supervision of a bishop, including one diocese encompassing Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The dioceses are governed by diocesan councils composed of all clergy in the diocese as well as lay people elected from the local congregations.
     CSI Congregations exist even outside the geographical limits of the respective dioceses. Many parishes/congregations have been established in other parts of India and even other countries.
    The church runs 2000 schools, 130 colleges and 104 hospitals in South India. In the 1960s the church became conscious of its social responsibility and started organising rural development projects. There are 50 such projects all over India, 50 training centres for young people and 500 residential hostels for a total of 35,000 children. The professional colleges run by the Church are known for their excellence and respected by all in India. The Vellore Christian Medical College (CMC) in Tamil Nadu is a case in point. The CSI South Kerala Diocese also runs a medical college at Karakonam, Trivandrum.