The Synod of Bishops of the eastern-rite Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, headquartered in India, has elected two coadjutor bishops. Auxiliary Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios (Kattukallil) of Trivandrum has been elected Coadjutor Bishop of Pathanamthitta, while Bishop Yoohanon Mar Theodosius (Kochuthundil), the Curial Bishop of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum has been elected the Coadjutor of the Diocese of Muvattupuzha, both in the southern state of Kerala.
Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios (Kattukallil) was ordained a priest on December 22, 1978, and served as parish priest in various parishes. On 25 January 2010 he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and on 13 March of the same year, he was consecrated bishop. Bishop Yoohanon Mar Theodosius (Kochuthundil) was ordained a priest on December 22, 1985. On 5 August 2017 he was elected Bishop of the Curia of the Major Archdiocese of the Syro-Malankara Church and on September 21 of the same year, he was consecrated bishop. He is the Apostolic Visitor for the Syrian-Malankara faithful residing in Europe and Oceania.
The Code of Canons of Oriental Churches grants the synod of eastern churches the power to elect their own bishops and church heads, which the Pope later approves.
