Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad to be elevated as Cardinal

The consistory to elevate Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad as a cardinal will take place on Sunday afternoon at St. Mary’s Metropolitan Church, Changanassery.

The ceremony will begin with a procession of bishops and priests leading to the Metropolitan Church. Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil will preside as the celebrant, with Archbishop Mar Thomas Tharayil and Archbishop Edgar Panja, a representative of the Vatican Secretariat of State, serving as co-celebrants.

During the Holy Mass, Archbishop George Koovakad will lead the liturgical celebration, and Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis will deliver the sermon.

The event will witness participation from a distinguished gathering, including cardinals, bishops, State Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, senior officials from India and abroad, and over 4,000 delegates from the Changanassery Archdiocese. The attendees will include priests, nuns, and laypeople from various parishes.

Monsignor Koovakad is the third cardinal from the Changanassery Archdiocese, following Cardinal Antony Padiyara and Cardinal George Alencherry. Having joined the Vatican Diplomatic Service in 2006, he has served in apostolic nunciatures across Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. Since 2020, he has been a key official in the Vatican secretariat of State, overseeing Papal visits worldwide.

Published - November 23, 2024 08:12 pm IST