KOTTAYAM: Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, 89, Archbishop Emeritus of Kottayam archdiocese of Knanaya Catholic Church, passed away here after a prolonged illness on Wednesday. The prelate had been undergoing treatment at the Caritas Hospital, Thellakom, where he breathed his last around 4.45 pm.
The mortal remains will be brought to Christhuraj Cathedral here at 2 pm on Friday for the public to pay their last respects. The final service will begin by 2 pm on Saturday and he will be laid to rest at the Cathedral Church on Saturday.
First archbishop of Kottayam Archeparchy, Mar Kunnacherry had been leading a retired life at Thellakom since 2006. Born to Joseph-Annamma couple of Kunnacherril house at Kaduthuruthi here on September 11, 1928, he was ordained a priest on December 21, 1955, at Rome.
He received doctorate in Civil and Canon Laws from the University of Lateran at Rome and Master’s degree in politics from the US.
He was nominated a bishop of Kepha and appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Kottayam on December 9, 1967. On February 24, 1968, he received Episcopal Ordination at the Sacred Heart Mount, Kottayam, from Cardinal Maximilian de Furstenberg, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. After the retirement of Mar Thomas Tharayil, Mar Kunnacherry took charge of the Diocese of Kottayam on May 5, 1974.
Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil appointed Mar Kunnacherry the first metropolitan of the newly-established Kottayam Archeparchy on May 9, 2005. Later on June 3, 2005, Mar Vithayathil ordained and enthroned him as the Metropolitan of Kottayam at Christ the King Cathedral here. The Syro-Malabar Synod accepted his resignation on January 14, 2006.
Bidding goodbye
The mortal remains of the prelate will be brought to Christhuraj Cathedral here at 2 pm on Friday for the public to pay their last respects
The final service will begin by 2 pm on Saturday. He will be laid to rest at the Cathedral Church on Saturday