The Catholic Diocese of Bathery was established in 1978 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II and was formally inaugurated on2nd February 1979. By the grace of God, recently the diocese of Bathery was bifurcated and the new diocese of Puttur was erected by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. This was mainly due to the geographic vastness of the area. At present we have nearly 25,000 Malankara Catholic faithful in 102 parishes and mission stations in the diocese of Bathery. His Excellency Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios is transferred to the diocese of Puttur and His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thomas appointed as the new  bishop of Bathery. The eparchy comprises of the district of Nilgiris of Tamilnadu State; Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasargod districts of Kerala State. The diocesan headquarters is situated in Sulthan Bathery in the district of Wayanad in Kerala.