Pope Francis appointed Bishop Thomas Anthonios Valiyavilayil of the Syro-Malankara Eparchy of St. Ephrem of Khadki in Pune in India’s western state of Maharashtra to the eparchy of St. John Chrysostom of Gurgaon in the northern Indian state of Haryana.
The other appointments included the election of Father Antony Kakkanatt as bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia and that of Father Mathew Manakkarakavil as the auxiliary bishop of the Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum.
Bishop Thomas Anthonios Valiyavilayil was born on Nov. 21, 1955, in Adoor, in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district.
He joined the Order of the Imitation of Christ or Bethany Ashram and had his priestly formation at Bethany Ashram in Pune where he finished his Philosophy and Theology studies. He was ordained priest on Dec. 27, 1980.
The prelate, who holds a doctorate in Oriental Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome has served in various offices of the Bethany Ashram.
He was the director at Bethany Vedvijnana Peeth and Institute of Oriental Theology Pune. He was also a member of the general council for two consecutive terms and Postulator of the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Mar Ivanios and chancellor of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia.
The 66-year-old priest was elected bishop on Jan. 25, 2010, and his episcopal ordination was held on March 13 that year.
On March 26, 2015, he was appointed first Apostolic Exarch of St. Ephrem of Khadki, Pune. In 2019, following the elevation of the Exarchate as an Eparchy, he was appointed its first bishop.
