Mar Thomas Tharayil has been ordained auxiliary bishop of the Syro-Malabar archdiocese of Changanassery at a special ceremony at St. Mary’s Metropolitan Church here on Sunday.
Mar Joseph Perumthottam, archbishop of Changanassery, was the principal celebrant at the ordination ceremony which began by 2.15 p.m. Mar Joseph Powathil, archbishop emeritus of Changanassery, and Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, Bishop of Pala, were the co-celebrants.
Hundreds of believers participated in the ceremony.
Archbishop M. Soosa Pakiam, chairman of the Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council (KCBC) and head of the Latin archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, delivered the benediction. Caridnal Baselius Cleemis, president of Catholic Bishops’ Council of India (CBCI) and head of the Syro Malankara Church; and Archbishop Kuriakose Mar Saverios, head of the Knanaya Syrian Church; spoke.
Fr. Tom Puthenkalam, chancellor of the archdiocese, read out the message from Cardinal George Alancherry appointing Mar Tharayil as the auxiliary bishop of Changanassery archdiocese.
Born on February 2, 1972, at Changanassery, Mar Thomas (Tomy) Tharayil had his school education locally. His theological studies began at the Minor Seminary, Kurichy, and later at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathur.
He was ordained priest on January 1, 2000. Presently a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, Mar Tharayil has earned a name as retreat preacher and psychologist. A polyglot, he is proficient in English, Italian, Spanish, and German.
Mar Tharayil was elected auxiliary bishop at the week-long Syro Malabar Synod held at St. Thomas Mount at Kakkanad from January 9, 2017.
The Changanassery vicariate was formed in 1887 and elevated as an archdiocese in 1956.
It is among the largest archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala with its administrative jurisdiction extending from Ettumanur to Parassala.
