KOCHI: Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, who stepped down as major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on Thursday, oversaw controversies over the sale of church land and liturgy.
Born on April 19, 1945, Mar Alencherry was ordained as priest on December 18, 1972, by Cardinal Antony Padiyara. He received his doctorate in biblical theology from the Sorbonne and Catholic University of Paris. Following his return from Paris, he was appointed director of the Pastoral Orientation Centre (POC), in Palarivattom, a position he held for six years.
He was appointed the first bishop of Thuckalay which was started as a mission of the Changanassery archeparchy. He was consecrated bishop of the newly created eparchy of Thuckalay by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil on February 2, 1997.
He was elected major archbishop by the synod in May 2011 following the death of Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil a month earlier. Mar Alencherry was the third major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, after Cardinal Padiyara (1992-1997) and Cardinal Vithayathil (1997-2007).
In 2017, Mar Alencherry became the focal point of a land scam that allegedly resulted in a `90-crore loss for the archdiocese. The dispute over liturgy deepened when a large section of priests and the laity of Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese refused to follow the directive of the synod on Uniform Holy Mass. The mass was approved by the synod in 1999 but was not implemented following opposition from traditionalists.
Many believe that by stepping down, Mar Alencherry has rescued the Church from a split. But the statement issued by the Syro-Malabar Church is clear on Mar Alencherry’s legacy. “The leadership that Cardinal Alencherry gave for revising of liturgy of the Syro-Malabar Church, implementing a uniform mode of celebration, revising the Liturgy of the Hours, and for all the innovative steps he has taken in revitalising the organisations of the Church will be recorded in golden letters in the history of the Syro-Malabar Church,” it said.
JOURNEY SO FAR
Dec 19, 1972 Ordained as a priest
Feb 2, 1997 Consecrated as first Bishop of Thuckalay
May 29, 2011 Becomes Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church
Feb 18, 2012 Elevated as Cardinal
2016: The sale of three acres of land belonging to Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese lands him in legal trouble
Feb 2018: Church panel probing land sale recommends legal action against him
June 2018: Pope Francis takes away Mar Alencherry’s role as administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese
August 2019: Ernakulam Principal Sessions court rules he will face charges
June 2019: Returns to the helm of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese after Vatican terminates the appointment of apostolic administrator
August 2021: Kerala HC rules that he has to stand trial
August 2021: Unified Holy Mass gets Synod nod and controversy erupts
Syro-Malabar Church: Major Archbishops
Mar Antony Padiyara (1992–1997)
Mar Varkey Vithayathil (1997–2011)
Mar George Alencherry (2011–present)