KOCHI: Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli reached Kochi on Saturday for a two-day visit to the Archdiocese of Verapoly. Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil received him at the Kochi airport.
Archbishop Girelli, who is the Vatican Ambassador to India, later visited the Venduruthy church. He appreciated the restoration of the church preserving its ancient beauty. He spoke of the baroque-style wooden altar ‘rathol’, which is more than 300 years old, preserved in its original form, and of the three statues made in the Spanish style.
He said Venduruthy church is a sacred relic of the Christian history of Kerala. Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, Msgr Mathew Kallingal and Fr Ebigin Arackal accompanied the ambassador. Venduruthy church vicar Fr Alphonse Panakkal presented a memento to the nuncio and gave a brief account of the church’s history. Parish central committee leader Thomas Rocky and parish council vice-president Sobi led the visit. The nuncio will attend various programmes of the archdiocese on Sunday.