Resignation and appointment of bishop of Simla and Chandigarh, India

Erection of the ecclesiastic province of Calicut, India, and appointment of first metropolitan archbishop

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Dumka, India

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations for the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Rijeka, Croatia

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations of the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Katowice, Poland

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Nauru

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Simla and Chandigarh, India

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Simla and Chandigarh, India, presented by Bishop Ignatius Loyola Ivan Mascarenhas.

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Sahaya Thatheus Thomas, until now rector of the Holy Trinity Major Seminary in Jullundur, as bishop of the diocese of Simla and Chandigarh, India.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Sahaya Thatheus Thomas was born on 6 November 1971 in Chinnavilai, in the diocese of Kottar, Tamil Nadu. After his formation at Saint Paul’s Minor Seminary, Lucknow, he studied philosophy and theology at the Holy Trinity Major Seminary in Jullundur. He obtained a licentiate in theology and a doctorate in sacred scripture at the Universität Wien, Austria. He was also awarded a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Punjab, in Patiala, and a master’s degree in human rights from the Indian Institute of Human RIghts in New Delhi.

He was ordained a priest on 13 May 2001.

He has held the following offices: parish assistant of Little Flower, in Panchkula (2001-2004), vice rector of the diocesan major seminary in Kauli (2004-2009), director of the Diocesan Commission for the Media and the Diocesan Bible Enquiry Centre (2004-2009), deputy parish priest in Schwechat, Austria (2010-2013), deputy parish priest in Retz in the metropolitan archdiocese of Vienna (2013-2016), and parish priest of Little Flower in Sangrur, Punjab (2017-2019). Since 2019 he has served as rector of the Holy Trinity Major Seminary in Jullundur.

Erection of the ecclesiastical province of Calicut, India, and appointment of first metropolitan archbishop

The Holy Father has erected the ecclesiastical province of Calicut, India, elevating the see of Calicut to a metropolitan Church and assigning to it as suffragans the diocese of Kannur and Sultanpet, until now belonging to the ecclesiastical province of Verapoly.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal, until now bishop of Calicut, as metropolitan archbishop of the same See.

Statistical data of the new ecclesiastical province:

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Dumka, India

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Sonatan Kisku, until now vicar general of the diocese of Dumka and parish priest of Saint Mary’s, as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Dumka, India, assigning him the titular see of Zarna.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Sonatan Kisku was born on 15 May 1969 in Kaudia, in the diocese of Dumka. He was ordained a priest for the same diocese on 15 April 2002. After attending Saint Paul’s Minor Seminary in Lucknow, he carried out his studies in philosophy at the Morning Star College in Calcutta, and in theology at the Papal Seminary in Pune. He was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University of Rome.

He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest of Torai (2002-2004), director of the Diocesan Vocation Centre (2007-2008), diocesan bursar (2008-2013), diocesan chancellor (2008-2021), chargé for legal affairs (since 2008), chargé for the pastoral care of the Christian communities of Gopikandar (2012-2014), chargé for young priests (since 2013), chargé for elderly and sick priests (since 2014), vicar general (since 2015), director of the Social Development Centre (2015-2023), secretary of Saint Joseph’s English Medium School (since 2015), regional director of the Basic Ecclesial Communities of the region of Jharkhand and the Andaman Islands (since 2021). Since 2023 he has served as parish priest of Saint Mary’s in Dumka.

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations for the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Rijeka, Croatia

The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, metropolitan archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as his special envoy to the celebrations for the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Rijeka, Croatia, to take place on 14 June 2025.

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations of the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Katowice, Poland

The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop emeritus of Warszawa, as his special envoy to the celebrations for the centenary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Katowice, Poland, to take place on 11 June 2025.

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, titular of Suelli, until now apostolic nuncio in Sri Lanka, as apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia.

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich, titular of Sulci, until now apostolic nuncio in Slovenia and apostolic delegate for Kosovo, as apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands.

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Nauru

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Gábor Pintér, titular of Velebusdus, apostolic nuncio in New Zealand, Fiji, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and Vanuatu, as apostolic nuncio in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Nauru.