The Diocese of Ootacamund came into being by the Apostolic Constitution “Nuntiatur in Psalmis” of Pope Pius XII, which was promulgated on July 3rd, 1955. It came into being by partition from the mother diocese, Mysore, of which it had been a part from 1941-1955. Comprising the whole of the Nilgiris District and a part of Erode District which lies to the north of river Bhavani, the diocese covers an area of 7,312 sq kms and has a population numbering 14, 60,000 of which 84,900 are catholics and 51,000 are Christians from other denominations.