PM Modi Dispatches Indian Delegation to Vatican for Cardinal Ordination of Kerala Priest
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New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 5 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized a distinguished Indian delegation to attend the ordination of Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad as a cardinal by the Pope at a ceremony scheduled in Vatican City on Saturday, as reported by former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
The Indian delegation will be headed by Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian and will include former Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, Rajya Sabha MP Satam Singh Sandhu, and BJP leaders Anil Antony, Anoop Antony, and Tom Vadakkan. The delegation is set to depart for the Vatican on Friday.
Chandrashekhar shared on X on Thursday, "Kerala Priest George Koovakad To Become Cardinal In Vatican: Historic Moment for India."
"Tomorrow morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sending a delegation to Vatican City where Father George from Kerala will be ordained on December 7th. This is a proud moment for us countrymen and the Christian community," he remarked to IANS.
Koovakad, aged 51, is affiliated with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanacherry, and upon his elevation as a cardinal, he will be the sixth individual from Kerala to achieve this status.
The cardinals play a crucial role in electing the Pope. On Saturday, Koovakad will be among 21 cardinals globally who will be elevated.
Currently stationed in the Vatican, Koovakad is tasked with coordinating the international travel agenda 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 the state capital, Koovakad was ordained a priest on July 24, 2004, and subsequently pursued diplomatic training at the esteemed Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
His diplomatic career commenced in 2006 at the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria.
Throughout his career, he has held positions in Apostolic Nunciatures in Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela.
Notably, in Kerala, there are three churches under the Pope's authority: the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, the Latin Church, and the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
The last instance of a Kerala resident being elevated to cardinal occurred in 2012 when the supreme head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Reverend Moran Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, was appointed as a cardinal.
