Believers celebrate ordination of Cardinal George Koovakad with pride

Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 8 (PTI) A day after 51-year-old Indian priest George Jacob Koovakad was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Francis, a wave of profound joy and pride engulfed the faithful of Mammoodu Lourdes Matha Church and Changanassery town as they celebrated the remarkable achievement of their native.

The parish community came together to express admiration for the priest who has become a beacon of faith and hope for the Changanassery Archdiocese and the country.

Hailing from the Archdiocese of Changanassery in Kerala, Koovakad’s appointment brings the total number of Indian cardinals to six, further strengthening the country’s representation in the Vatican.

The parish members and others are planning to accord a warm reception to the Cardinal who will be coming to his native town by next week from Rome.

"We are planning to give him a grand reception in Changanassery on December 23, and preparations have already begun," Fr. John V Thadathil, vicar of Mammoodu Lourdes Matha Church told media.

A large crowd gathered at Mammoodu Lourde Matha Church, the Cardinal’s home parish in Kottayam, on Saturday night to watch the ordination ceremony of Cardinal George Koovakad, streamed live on a big screen in the church hall.

The church resonated with hymns of gratitude, and the air was thick with emotion as believers reflected on the monumental achievement of one of their own.

Among those present were Changanassery MLA Job Michael, and others.

Litty Mathew, the sister of Cardinal Koovakad, shared her excitement, calling it "God's great will." "We never expected this, and we are overjoyed as this is a wonderful gift for us during the Christmas season," she told reporters.

Her husband, Mathew Scaria said the Cardinal is expected to return home by December 15.

"We are eagerly awaiting his arrival. This Christmas has become even more special for us," he said, expressing gratitude to everyone for their support.

A delegation from the Archdiocese of Changanassery, to which he belongs, departed for the Vatican on Thursday to attend the ordination ceremony on Saturday.

The delegation is led by Changanassery Archbishop Mar Thomas Tharayil.

Many believers from his hometown have travelled to the Vatican to witness the momentous occasion.

Parishioners gathered in large numbers at the headquarters of Changanassery Archdiocese on Saturday celebrated the historic moment of Cardinal's ordination distributing sweets and lit up firecrackers.

Adding to the excitement, those who traveled to Rome to witness the ordination ceremony shared their joy and happiness through video calls with many here.

Archbishop Mar Joseph Perumthottam hailed the moment as a big recognition for the believers.

The episcopal consecration ceremony was held in Changanassery last month as part of his elevation to the rank of Cardinal.

The Indian delegation headed by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian, comprising former Union Minister Kodikkunnil Suresh, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, BJP leaders Anil Antony, Anoop Antony, and Tom Vadakkan also witnessed the ordination ceremony.

Koovakad, the 20th among the cardinal designates, was called by Pope Francis for ordination at 9.23 PM (IST) on Saturday.

He participated in the ceremony dressed in a black cassock over a special red robe.

As part of the ordination, the Pope placed the cardinal’s ring on Koovakad’s right hand and bestowed upon him the red-and-black biretta, the ceremonial symbols of the cardinalate, in accordance with Syro-Malabar tradition.

Prior to the ceremony, Koovakad and the 20 other cardinal designates took a solemn oath, affirming their commitment to their new roles.

Koovakad has been organising Pope Francis’ international tours since 2020.

Previously, Koovakad, who held the title of Monsignor, was declared the Titular Archbishop of Nisibis in Turkey.

The priest is currently based in the Vatican.

Born on 11 August 1973 in Thiruvananthapuram, Koovakad was ordained as a priest on July 24, 2004. He later pursued training for diplomatic service at the prestigious Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

In 2006, he began his diplomatic career at the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria.

Over the years, Koovakad held various significant roles, including Secretary of the Nunciature in South Korea (2009–2012) and Iran (2012–2014).

He subsequently served as Counsellor of the Nunciatures in Costa Rica (2014–2018) and Venezuela (2018–2020).

In 2020, he joined the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, where he assumed responsibility for organising the Pope’s global travels, according to the Church.

Following the ordination ceremony, the new Cardinals will visit the Pope at the Vatican Palace to receive his blessing.

On Sunday, at 1 PM (IST), they will join the Pope in celebrating Holy Mass, according to a Church release. PTI ARM ARM ROH