New Delhi, December 7 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the elevation of Kerala Archbishop George Koovakad as Cardinal as a proud moment for India.
“It is a matter of great pride for India that Archbishop George Couvacad will be made a Cardinal by His Holiness Pope Francis,” the Prime Minister’s Office wrote in a post on Twitter.
Archbishop Koovakad is the pastor of Changanassery Mood Lourde Matha Catholic Church in Kottayam, Kerala. He is the first priest from Kerala to become a Cardinal. The five previous Cardinals from the state were all bishops.
A delegation from India has gone to Vatican City to attend this ceremony. “The Government of India has sent a delegation led by Union Minister George Kurien to attend the ceremony. Before the ceremony, the Indian delegation also met His Holiness Pope Francis,” the PMO said in the post.
Pope Francis will create Archbishop Kouvakad and 20 others as cardinals in a ceremony Saturday in Vatican City. After this the number of cardinals worldwide will increase from 232 to 253. When it comes time to choose the next Pope, it is the members of the Cardinals who choose him.
During the meeting with the Pope, George Kurian, on behalf of the government, invited Pope Francis to visit India. He told that Pope Francis has said that he will be able to come to India only after 2025.
Kurien said, “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended an official invitation to the Pope to visit India. We are told that the Pope will be busy during 2025 due to the Jubilee celebrations and will rarely go out. So his visit to India will take place after that. “
The Indian delegation includes former minister of state Rajiv Chandrashekhar, Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, Rajya Sabha MP Satam Singh Sandhu, BJP leaders Anil Antony, Anup Antony and Tom Vadakkan.
Earlier in 1986, the then Pope John Paul II had visited Kerala for two days to canonize Sister Alphonsa and Sister Kuriakose Elias Chavara. During the visit, Paul II stopped in Kochi and then traveled to Thrissur, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram.
A large number of Christians from Kerala have reached Vatican City to witness the elevation of Koovakad as Cardinal.
Koovakad, who currently resides in the Vatican, organizes Pope Francis’ international travel itinerary.
Born on August 11, 1973 in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, Koovakad became a priest on July 24 and later received training for diplomatic service at the prestigious Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
In 2006 he began his diplomatic career at the Apostolic Nunciature to Algeria.
He has served in Apostolic Nunciature to Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica and Venezuela.
About 18 percent of Kerala’s population of 32 million are Christians, with Catholics being the dominant group, representing 50 percent of the state’s Christians. There are three Catholic rites in Kerala – the Syro-Malabar, Latin and Syro Malankara churches.
–IANS
AKJ/
