KOCHI: The Synod of the Syro Malabar Church on Wednesday announced the selection of Shamshabad bishop Mar Raphael Thattil as the new head of the church and major archbishop of Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese. The announcement was made by Kottayam archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakattil after receiving communication from the Vatican on Wednesday evening. The installation of the new Major Archbishop will be held at Mount St Thomas, the headquarters of Syro Malabar Church in Kakkanad at 2.30 pm on Thursday.
According to reports, 53 bishops voted in a secret ballot to select the new major Archbishop. The selected name was forwarded to the Vatican for approval from the Pope. The selection was announced simultaneously at the Vatican and Mount St Thomas. The Syro Malabar Church had started the process for the selection of a new head after Cardinal Mar George Alencherry stepped down from the position on December 7, 2023.
Born to Ouseph and Thresia of Thrissur on April 21, 1956, Mar Raphael Thattil was ordained as a priest by Mar Joseph Kundukulam in Thrissur Doloures Basilica. on December 21, 1980.. After his primary education at St. Thomas College HS, Thrissur, he joined St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Thope on July, 4, 1971. He completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Kottayam in 1980. He did his higher studies in Rome and took a doctorate in Oriental Canon Law. His thesis was on "Clerical Formation in the Syro Malabar Church: A Historico-Juridical Study".
After his ordination, Mar Raphael Thattil served as Assistant Vicar of Aranattukara (1981-82), Fr. Prefect & Asst. Procurator, St Mary's Minor Seminary (1982-83), Acting Vicar, Koonammoochy (1983), Acting Vicar, Cherumkuzhy (1983). On returning back from Rome, he served at the Archbishop's house as Vice Chancellor, Chancellor, Adj. Judicial Vicar, Judge and later as Syncellus and Proto-Syncellus. He was the director of the Diocesan Biblical Catechetical Liturgical Centre (DBCLC) & Catechism (1992-1995). He was appointed as the project officer of the new Marymatha Major Seminary on January 20, 1998. After a few months, he was made the first Rector of the Marymatha Seminary (1998-2006). He also worked as president and member of many committees and commissions.
He was ordained as Bishop on April 10, 2010, and appointed as Auxiliary bishop of Trichur and Titular Bishop of Bruni. In 2014, he was appointed as Apostolic visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful residing outside the territorium proprium. Pope Francis named him the first Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Shamshabad on October 10 2017 and he was installed on January 7, 2018