KOCHI: Cardinal George Alencherry, head of Syro-Malabar Church, celebrated his 75th birthday at Kakkanad Mount St Thomas on Sunday. Due to the lockdown, the Cardinal kept the celebrations simple. Bishop Sebastian Vaniampurackal, the Curia Bishop and other residents of Mount St Thomas felicitated him.
“Normally, he does not have the habit of being a part of grand celebrations. However, if it was not for the lockdown, the function would have been a tad bigger with people and priests coming in,” said Fr Antony Thalachallor, secretary of Syro-Malabar Media Commission.
The Cardinal was the main celebrant in the Sunday Mass held at Mount St Thomas. He is the president of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council and the chairman of the Inter-Church Council. He was born the sixth among ten children of Alencherry Philippose and Mariamma on 19 April, 1945, at Thuruthy, Changanassery. He was ordained a Bishop on February 2, 1997, by Mar Joseph Powathil and the installation ceremony was officiated by Apostolic Administrator Mar Varkey Vithayathil. Mar Alencherry is a member of the 115-strong College of Cardinals responsible for electing the Pope.