PM Modi Congratulates George Koovakad on Becoming India's First Cardinal

New Delhi, Dec 8 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed his warm wishes to priest George Jacob Koovakad for his elevation to the esteemed rank of Cardinal within the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis.

The 51-year-old priest hailing from Kerala was honored with this title during a significant ceremony held at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday. The ceremony saw the induction of 21 new Cardinals and was attended by clergy and dignitaries from around the world.

In a post on X, PM Modi expressed, "This is a moment of immense joy and pride for India! I am thrilled to see His Eminence George Jacob Koovakad being appointed as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis."

"His Eminence George Cardinal Koovakad has dedicated his life to serving humanity as a devoted follower of Lord Jesus Christ. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors," the Prime Minister added.

Koovakad marks a milestone as the first priest from India to be directly appointed as a Cardinal. In contrast, all previous Indian Cardinals had previously held roles as bishops or archbishops before receiving this prestigious honor.

Affiliated with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanacherry, he is now the sixth Indian to hold the title of Cardinal.

The other five Cardinals had all been bishops prior to their elevation to this distinguished position within the Catholic Church.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, just before taking his close family to meet the Pope, a beaming Koovakad stated, "My parents and relatives are here for this occasion, and we are heading to the function where the Pope will greet all the guests. This is God's will, an honor I never anticipated. This elevation is truly a divine selection. I owe this to everyone who made it possible. When I came here in 2006, my respected seniors advised that if it was merely about studying the Bible, that could be done in Kerala. However, my assignment in Vatican was to gain deeper insights."

Currently, there are 232 active Cardinals in the global Catholic Church, a number that will rise to 253 following Koovakad's and 20 others being elevated.

This assembly of Cardinals will convene to elect the next Pope when the occasion arises.

Currently residing in the Vatican, Koovakad is responsible for coordinating the international travel plans of Pope Francis. He joined the Vatican Diplomatic Service in 2006 after completing his training at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

Born on August 11, 1973, in Thiruvananthapuram, Koovakad was ordained a priest on July 24, 2004, and subsequently pursued diplomatic training at the prestigious Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

His diplomatic career commenced in 2006 at the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria, and he has also served in various Apostolic Nunciatures across Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela.