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Mar George Alencherry was born on
19th April 1945 in the parish of Thuruthy in the archdiocese of Changancherry
as the sixth child of the ten children of Mr. Philipose and Mary Alencherry
of whom two others are priests (Fr. Jose Alencherry and Fr. Francis Alencherry,
SDB) and one, a religious sister (Sr. Cherupushpam, S.A.B.S.). Geevarghese is
his baptismal name. Mar George Alencherry had his primary schooling at St
Mary's School, Thuruthy and secondary education at St Berchman's High School,
Changanacherry. He began his priestly formation in 1961 at the archdiocesan
minor seminary at Parel, Changanacherry. While he pursued his studies in the
minor seminary, he obtained his BA in economics with second rank from St
Berchman's College. After the minor seminary studies he was sent to St
Joseph's Pontifical Seminary, Aluva where he completed his philosophical and
theological studies. On 18 December 1972 Cardinal Antony Padiyara, the then
archbishop of Chanagancherry, ordained him priest at St Mary's Church, Thuruthy,
for the archdiocese of Changanacherry. Later he continued his higher studies
at the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy from where he obtained
his master's degree in first rank.
While Mar George Alencherry was pursuing higher studies at Aluva he served
also as vicar of the filial church at Periyarmugham in the archdiocese of
Ernakulam-Angamaly. After completion of studies at Aluva Mar George
Alencherry was appointed as assistant vicar at the Cathedral church of
Changanacherry and Director of the Archdiocesan Faith Formation department.
Thereafter, he served three years as secretary of the Commission for
Catechism of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC). After his tenure in
KCBC he was sent to Paris for higher studies. There he pursued his studies at
Sorbonne University and the Catholic Institute from where he obtained his
doctorate in biblical theology.
On returning to India in 1986 Mar George Alencherry was appointed director of
the pastoral Oriental Centre (POC) at Palarivattom and deputy secretary of
KCBC. He served the Church in Kerala in that capacity until 1993.
Simultaneously he had served also as professor at St Thomas Apostolic
Seminary, Vadavathoor. He continued to teach at Vadavathoor until 1997. From
1994 to 1996 he was the protosyncellus of the metropolitan of Changanacherry.
When Pope John Paul II established the diocese of Thuckalay on 11th November
1996 Mar George Alencherry was appointed its first bishop. He was ordained
bishop on 2nd February 1997 at Thuckalay by Mar Joseph Powathil, the then
archbishop of Changanacherry.
As bishop Mar George Alencherry served the Syro-Malabar Church in his
capacity of the secretary of the Synod of Bishops and chairman of the
Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Commission for Catechism. He has also
served as chairman of the Commission for Laity of the catholic Bishops'
Conference of India (CBCI).
Mar George Alencherry has to his credit a Book with the title Morality Today
and Tomorrow in Malayalam and a number of articles on various topics in
English and Malayalam. The new major archbishop is proficient in Malayalam,
Tamil, English and French.
Mar George Alencherry has been elected the spiritual leader of the more than
40 lakhs Syro-Malabar faithful living all over the world.
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Address
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Contact Address
The Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia
Mount St Thomas, P.B. No. 3110, Kakkanad P.O.,
Kochi 682 030, India
Tel. 0484-2424768, 2424780, 2425727, 2426235, 2426236,
Fax: 0484-2422727.
Email: majorarchbishop@gmail.com,
majorarchbishop@hotmail.com
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Residential Address
Major Archbishop's House
Ernakulam, Kochi - 682 031,
P.B.No. 2580, Kerala, India
Phone: 0091-484-2363664
email:cardinal@ernakulamarchdiocese.org
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