Mary Matha Major Seminary

For years candidates to priesthood from Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur are sent to Mangalapuzha Seminary, Aluva and St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Kottayam. But due to the accommodation and over crowding of students in seminaries, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur decided to construct a new seminary for the upcoming priests. The foundation stone of the seminary was laid by First Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur, Joseph Kundukulam on 8 December 1997 in Mannuthy. Later on classes were started on 1 June 1998 by Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur, Jacob Thoomkuzhy. The seminary was formally inaugurated on 15 August 1998 by Mar Varkey Vithayathil, the then Apostolic administrator of the Syro-Malabar Church.

The seminary is run by the Archbishop of Thrissur as chairman and an executive council. The present rector of the seminary is Rev. Dr. Tony Neelankavil and vice-rector is Rev. Fr. Jaison Koonamplackal. In the academic year 2017–2018, there are 19 staff members and 170 students.