Bangalore 17 November, 2020 (CCBI): Most Rev. George Antonysamy (68), Vice President of the CCBI and the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore has appointed by Holy Father Pope Francis as one of the members of members of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on Tuesday, 17 November, 2020.
Archbishop George Antonysamy was born on 15 February1952 in Trichy, Tamilnadu. He completed theology studies from Urban University, Rome and was ordained priest on 19 November 1980 in Trichy. After one year as assistant parish priest at the Holy Redeemer’s Minor Basilica, Trichy, he was sent to Rome for higher studies in Pontifical Ecclesial Academy.
In 2002, Pope St. John Paul II appointed him as the charge d’affaires of the Vatican embassy in Jordan. On 4 August 2005, he was appointed as titular Archbishop of Sulci in Sardinia, Italy, by Pope Benedict XVI and had his episcopal ordination on 21 September 2005 in Trichy. He was simultaneously appointed as the apostolic nuncio to Gambia, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, an office which he holds until now. At the age of 60 Pope Benedict XVI has appointed him as the Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore on 21 November 2012.
He was elected as the Vice President of the CCBI at the 29 Plenary Assembly held in 2017 at Bhopal. In 2019 he was re-elected as the Vice President at the 31 Plenary Assembly held at Chingleput, Tamilnadu. He was the former Chairman of the CCBI Commission for Canon Law and Legislative Texts from 2015 to 2019. He is currently the Chairman of the St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore. He is a priest for 39 years and a Bishop for 15 years.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI