KOCHI, May 27: Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed the election of Bishop George Alencherry as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Archbishop Alencherry was canonically elected by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church which is being held it its headquarters at Kakkanad, Kochi.
Bishop George Alencherry was born on 19 April 1945 at Thuruthy in Kottayam District.
He was ordained a priest on 18 December 1972. He was appointed bishop of Thuckalay on 2 February 1997 and was installed on the same day.
He has served as the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry, and is currently the Secretary of the Syro-Malabar Synod and the chairman of Synodal Commission for Catechesis.
The news of the election of Bishop Alencherry as Major Archbishop was made public in Rome and Kochi, May 26.
The Shrine of Bellary Arogya Mathe was blessed and dedicated on 8th September 2000 on the feast of the Nativity of our Blessed Mother Mary in memory of the great jubilee 2000 and the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Bellary