New cardinal boosts global recognition of Indian Eastern-rite church

Oct 08, 2024

The elevation of an Indian priest who worked in the Vatican as cardinal adds to the global recognition of the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar Church, says the Church's spokesperson.

Fr George Jacob Koovakad, a priest of the Kerala-based Church's Changanacherry archdiocese, was among the 21 new cardinals named by Pope Francis on Oct. 6. They will be given the red biretta on Dec. 8 at the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“It is a great honor for the Syro-Malabar Church as one of its sons is elevated as cardinal directly, which is first in India,” said Father Antony Vadakkekara, spokesperson of the Church. Until now, only archbishops were named cardinals in India.

He added that the elevation of 51-year-old Koovakad is “a global recognition of the Syro-Malabar Church,” the second largest Eastern rite Church with 35 dioceses in India and abroad.

Koovakad is part of the Vatican's diplomatic corps and is responsible for organizing papal trips. According to Church sources, he is expected to continue with the Holy See.

Currently, India has four cardinals, but all of them stay in their home dioceses.

Koovakad's elevation "is a great recognition for the Indian Church to have one more cardinal, especially based in the Vatican,” said Father Robinson Rodrigues, spokesperson of the national bishops' conference.

Rodrigues told UCA News on Oct. 8 that Koovakad can play “a vital role” in protecting the interests of the Indian Church.

Koovakad joined the Vatican diplomatic service in 2006 and served in the nunciatures in Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela before being tasked with organizing papal trips.

“The cardinal-designate is compassionate to the poor,” said Koovakad’s brother-in-law Mathew M Scaria, who looks after the cardinal-designate's aged parents.

“Though he is away, we do not take major decisions without his consent,” said Scaria, who owns a fertilizer shop, told UCA News on Oct. 8.

“Now, we learned from media that he used to offer food to the hungry on roadsides in many countries without media hype,” Scaria said.

Nideesh Thomas, parish council secretary of Koovakad's Lourdes Matha parish, said they plan "a grand welcome" when the cardinal-designate arrives on Oct. 24.

“This is a great honor for our parish,” Thomas told UCA News on Oct. 8.

“Whenever he visited his home parish, he used to interact with everyone,” he recalled.

Koovakad was ordained a priest on July 24, 2004. He holds a doctorate in canon law and has served as assistant vicar in a parish before moving to the Vatican.

The Catholic Church in India comprises the Latin rite, and the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.

The Latin rite follows the Roman liturgy introduced by European missionaries in the 15th century, and the two Eastern churches, both headquartered in Kerala, follow Syrian Church traditions and trace their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle.--ucanews.com