Head of the UGCC Congratulates on the Election of the New Supreme Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
On January 10, the Vatican announced that His Holiness Pope Francis had approved the election of the new Supreme Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He is His Eminence Bishop Raphael Tattil. On this occasion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated the newly elected Primate of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
“I am convinced that in you, the faithful of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, will have a decent and compassionate shepherd who will be able to lead them with pastoral wisdom through the challenges of modern life while preserving their unwavering faith in Christ.” the Head of the UGCC said in his greeting letter.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also brought to the attention of the newly elected Primate the pastoral challenges faced by the UGCC in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine. He emphasized the pressing need for solidarity with our sister churches, stating, “Now, especially, we need to nurture our unity with you amid the various challenges of today.”
It should be added that the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is descended from the Christians of the Apostle Thomas. Most of the faithful live on the Malabar coast of India (now Kerala), and there are numerous congregations of believers in the diaspora. Sharing the spiritual heritage of the Assyrian Church of the East, it is in full Eucharistic communion with the Catholic Church and has its thousand-year tradition. Today, it is one of the largest Eastern Catholic Churches.
His Beatitude Raphael Tattil was born in 1956 in Trichur, India. After graduating from the seminary in India, he studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in canon law. In 2010, he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of Trichur. In December 2013, the Holy Father Francis appointed him Apostolic Visitor for the Malabar faithful in India who live outside the territory of the Church. In 2017, Bishop Raphael became the head of the newly created Diocese of Shamshabad.
Secretariat of the Head of the UGCC in Rome
