Madras Diocese is one of the oldest diocese and the mother diocese of Church of South India.The diocesan history starts from the arrival of the first chaplain of the East India Company in 1647 and the dedication of St.Mary's church in the Fort St.George in 1680. Nearly 155 years after the dedication of the oldest Church on the east of the Suez Canal,the first Bishop, Daniel Corrie was consecrated and installed as Bishop of the Madras Diocese.
On 27th September 1947, the formation of Church of South India was held at St.George Catherdral Church and that great event was described by the Roman Catholic Theologians in Europe as" the event of Second Pentecost"
The Diocese is divided into four areas namely, Madras North, Madras South, Central and Southern areas spread over 5 revenue districts in Tamilnadu, a revenue district in Andhra Pradesh and one Union Territory of Pondicherry. The Congregations in the Diocese present a rich linguistic variety such as Tamil, English, Telugu and Malayalam.
The Diocesan Medical Board witnessed overall expansion and growth in our hospitals. We have 5 hospitals, of which 2 are Multispecilaity Hospitals one in Chennai and another in Kanchipuram town, and three peripheral hospitals in rural areas. Recently the Diocese has taken initiative to start a Health Centre in Arakkonam which will be converted into multi-speciality hospital.
The Madras Diocesan Hospital are dedicated to the purpose of providing the best possible health care to the patients who seek and needs its service without distinction by caste, creed, religion and economic status. In providing this health care, it is caring for the whole person that the hospital seeks to achieve.