| Jurisdiction: | Diocese |
| Kannur | |
| Latin: | Dioecesis Kannurensis |
| Local: | കണ്ണൂർ രൂപത |
| Border: | catholic |
| Country: |  India |
| Province: | Verapoly |
| Area Km2: | 4,988 |
| Population: | 2,734,000 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Catholics: | 48,899 |
| Catholics Percent: | 1.8 |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Established: | 5 November 1998 |
| Cathedral: | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Kannur |
| Bishop: | Most Rev. Dr. Alex Vadakumthala |
| Metro Archbishop: | Joseph Kalathiparambil |
| Suffragan: | for one --> |
| Vicar General: | Mon. Devassy Earathara and Mon. Clarence Paliath |
| Archdeacon: | for one--> |
Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Kannur in the Ecclesiastical Province of Verapoly in India by bifurcating the Diocese of Calicut on 9 December 1998. The diocese consists of the Latin Catholics of Malabar residing in the revenue districts of Kannur and Kasaragod.
The see was vacant from 2012 until 2014. On 1 February 2014, Pope Francis appointed Alex Joseph Vadakumthala as the new bishop of Kannur. He was consecrated on 23 March.
Diocese of Kannur comprises the territory of the civil district of Kannur to the north of Mahé River, excluding Palloor, Chalakkara, Pandakkal and Cherukallai which belong to the municipality of Mahe and the territory of the civil district of Kasaragod which falls to the south of Chandragiri River. The erection of this diocese was a historical event for Kannur which has 500 years of Christian tradition. The establishment of this diocese, on the auspicious occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of the Diocese of Calicut was welcomed with cheer, by the people who consider the diocese of Kannur as a gift of God to this region of India.
Although Christian communities existed in South and Central Kerala from the beginning of Christianity, North Kerala known as Malabar had to wait long for the advent of the European missionaries to start their evangelization until the 16th century. It was with the advent of the Portuguese sailor, Vasco de Gama who landed here on 20 May 1498, that the missionaries had access to this area. Fr. Pedro de Kovilaham, the first missionary who came to Malabar with Vasco de Gama died on 31 July 1498. As the Portuguese traders could not get along with the ruler of Calicut, "the Zamorin", they moved to Kannur and the "Kolathiri", king of Kannur welcomed them.
The four Franciscan missionaries with Hovavo Nova, their group leader were allowed to build a chapel in Kannur. (This is the place where the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Diocese of Kannur is situated). In 1505, the Portuguese Viceroy, Francis de Almeida, established the famous fort of St. Angelos and built the church of St. James there.
Pope John Paul II by the Apostolic Brief Ad Perpetuam Rei Memoriam, dated 5 November 1998, created the Diocese of Kannur from the Diocese of Calicut. On the same day Varghese Chakkalakal who was a professor at St.Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore, and a priest of the diocese of Calicut, was elected the Bishop of Kannur and the Bishop elect was consecrated on 7 February 1999 and he took charge of the diocese on 8 February 1999. The Bishop has taken as his motto "according to your will" "Daivathirumanassinu Vidheyathuvam". On Monday, 15 June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI transferred him to become Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut, India; he will be the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese during the sede vacante (vacant see) period until a successor is chosen by the Pope.