Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, President of KCBC and Chairman of the Inter-Church Council, is 70 years old. There is no special celebration on the 75th birthday of the Cardinal. In accordance with his usual style and in the context of Lockdown, he will present the Holy Mass with the Clergy Bishop, clergy and saints in the church.
Born on April 19, 1945, he was the sixth of ten children of the Alancherry Philipose-Mariamma couple from Changanacherry. After completing his 10th standard, he joined the Parel Seminary of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry. While studying for the Minor Seminary, Changanassery SB. She completed her second year in Economics from the University of Kerala. After completing his clerical training at Aluva Major Seminary, he was ordained priest on 18 December 1972 by Father Anthony Padira.
Upon reception, he completed a Master’s Degree in Theology from Aluva Pontifical Institute. He received his doctorate in Bible theology from the University of Sorbonne in Paris and the Catholic University. After returning to Paris, he served as director of the POC, headquartered at KCBC, for six years from 1986.
He was also appointed as the Vicar of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry. He also served as a theology teacher at Vadavathoor Seminary for ten years.
In 1996, when a diocese was established at Thakkala, George Alancheriachen, the vicar of the diocese of Changanacherry, was appointed as the first bishop. His abdication took place on February 2, 1997, from the Metropolitan of the Blessed Joseph Paula, Appellant. The administrator is the father of the congratulatory class.
On April 1, 2011, Major Archbishop Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, Father of the Syro-Malabar Bishop of the Synod, convened the then Archbishop of Takkala, Bishop George Alencherry as the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Pope Benedict XVI, on 18 February 2012 at a ceremony held at the Vatican. Cardinal Alencherry was also present at the Conclave, which elected Pope Francis in 2013. Cardinal Alancheri is one of the 115 Cardinals who voted to elect the Pope in the General Assembly.
As a Cardinal, he is a member of the Vatican Office for Eastern Churches, the Congregation for Faith, the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Fellowship, and the International Council for Religious Instruction. As the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal Alancheri is the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam and Angamaly, serving the leadership of nearly 50 lakh Syro-Malabar Catholics in 35 dioceses and beyond.
Cardinal Alancherry also holds the position of Chancellor of the Aluva Pontifical Institute, the Kottayam Oriental Vidyapeeth and the Bangalore Dharmaram Vidya Temple.
