New Bishops Appointed in Syro-Malabar Church

Mar Thomas Tharayil has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Changanassery, succeeding Archbishop Joseph Perumthottam, who retired at the age of 75. Concurrently, Mar Prince Antony Panengadan has been designated as the Bishop of Shamshabad, taking over from Mar Raphael Thattil, who has become the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church. The appointments were made during the third session of the 32nd Synod of Bishops at Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad. Both bishops have extensive backgrounds in theology and church service, with Tharayil being proficient in multiple languages and Panengadan holding a doctorate in Biblical Theology. The specific dates for their installations will be announced later. This transition marks significant leadership changes within the Syro-Malabar Church, which oversees a substantial Catholic community in India.