Holy Trinity Regional Major Seminary is the Regional Seminary for priestly formation for the ecclesiastical province of Delhi, which at present comprises of the Archdiocese of Delhi and the Dioceses of Jammu-Srinagar, Jullundur and Simla-Chandigarh, and which includes the Eparchy of Faridabad (Syro-Malabar) and the Eparchy of Gurgaon (Syro-Malankara). The territory of the ecclesiastical province of Delhi geographically extends to Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab, and to the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar and Ladakh. These areas together constitute the North-West India, having a total population of around 65 million, of which about two percentage are Christians.

In the early 1980s, the Diocese of Jullundur was experiencing a flourishing period marked by a significant number of vocations to the priesthood. Recognizing the need for a dedicated space to train future clergy, Bishop SymphorianKeeprath, the then Bishop of the Diocese of Jullundur, in consultation with Fr. Kurian Muttathupadam proposed the establishment of a diocesan major seminary that would initially serve as a philosophate. The proposal received enthusiastic support from the JullundurPresbyterium, and with the generous assistance of benefactors, Fr. Kurian was able to secure the current site for the seminary in 1983. This pivotal step laid the groundwork for what would become a vital institution for priestly formation in the region. The seminary officially began its operations as a philosophate at Jalandhar Cantonment on June 29, 1985, with Fr. Kurian appointed as its first Rector.

A significant milestone occurred on February 2, 1986, when Pope John Paul II blessed the foundation stone for the new building of the Department of Philosophy at Chogitti, Jalandhar, in New Delhi during his Apostolic visit to India. Following this, on February 9, 1989, Archbishop Angelo Fernandez of Delhi blessed the completed building in a ceremony attended by bishops of the region. In his message during the Holy Eucharist, he proposed expanding the seminary’s role to that of a regional institution, thus enhancing its mission to serve the regional of dioceses. At the meeting of the Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Delhi on 22 July 1992, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Alan de Lastic of Delhi, this Institute was accepted as theRegional Seminary, in accordance with article 7 of the Decree OptatamTotius (OT) of Vatican Council II, to serve the Archdiocese and the dioceses of the North-West India. It was also decided in the same meeting to start the Department of Theology from the Academic Year 1993-94.

The development of the seminary continued with the laying of the foundation stone for the theologate on February 26, 1993, by Bishop Symphorian. The first batch of theology students commenced their studies shortly thereafter, comprising six seminarians from various dioceses, including Delhi, Jullundur, Jammu, and Bijnor. During the construction of the theology building, these seminarians resided in the philosophate, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose among the students. The Theologate was inaugurated on October 31, 1994, by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Bernard Prince, the Secretary General of Propaganda Fide. This inauguration marked a significant expansion of the seminary’s educational acumen and its role in the formation of future priests. Gradually, other dioceses such asGumla, Ambikapur, Betia, Patna, Jalpaiguri, Dumka, Shimdega, and others started sending their seminarians here for studies.

On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Seminary in 2010, it was decided to seek affiliation to the PontificiaUniversitaUrbaniana (PUU), Rome. The process for affiliation was completed by 2011. Through a letter dated 29 May 2012, the PUU communicated with the letter on 08 May 2012 that the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education had permitted the University to grant affiliation to the Institute for a period of five years. The seminary has successfully graduated philosophy and theology students, all of whom have gone on to serve in various dioceses across India and abroad. This achievement reflects the seminary’s commitment to nurturing vocations and providing a solid foundation for thespiritual, human, pastoral and intellectual development of future priests, ensuring that they are well-equipped to meet the challenges of pastoral ministry in a diverse and rapidly changing world. The ongoing impact of this institution continues to resonate throughout the Church in India, contributing to the spiritual growth and leadership within the Catholic community.