Confirmation of election of major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India

The Holy Father Francis has granted the confirmation required pursuant to canon 153 of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches by His Excellency Raphael Thattil, until now bishop of Shamshabad of the Syro-Malabars, who on 9 January 2024 was canonically elected major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly by the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, gathered in Mount Saint Thomas, Kakkanad-Kochi, Kerala, India.

Bishop Bosco Puthur, emeritus of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Melbourne of the Syro-Malabars, Australia, will continue as apostolic administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars donec aliter provideatur.

Curriculum vitae

His Beatitude Mar Raphael Thattil was born on 21 April 1956 in Trichur. After his seminary formation in Vadavathoor, he was awarded a doctorate in oriental canon law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He speaks Malayalam and English fluently and knows Italian and German.

He received priestly ordination on 21 December 1980, and has held the following offices: assistant vicar in Aranattukara (1981), prefect of the minor seminary (1982), vice chancellor of the eparchial Curia (1988), vice rector of the minor seminary (1991), director of the Diocesan Biblical Catechetical Liturgical Centre (1992-1995), chancellor and eparchial judge (1995-2000), first rector of the Mary Matha Seminary (1998-2007), where he made an important contribution to the growth of the major seminary, and protosyncellus of the archeparchy of Trichur (2007-2010).

Elected auxiliary bishop of Trichur by the Synod of the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church on 18 January 2010, he received episcopal ordination on 10 April 2010. On 23 December 2013, the Holy Father Francis also appointed him apostolic visitator for the faithful of the Syro-Malabar Church resident in India outside their own territory.

On 10 October 2017, at the same time as the erection of the new eparchy of Shamshabad, he was appointed first bishop.

On 9 January 2024 he was elected major archbishop, and His Holiness Pope Francis granted apostolic confirmation of the Synodal election on the same day.