Mar Thomas Tharayil elected as Archbishop Changanacherry and Mar Prince Antony Panengadan Shamshabad

Bangalore 30 August 2024 (CCBI): The Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, gathered at Mount St. Thomas, Kerala, having received prior Papal Assent according to CCEO can. 184, canonically elected to the office of Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Changanacherry, Mar Thomas Tharayil (52), until present Auxiliary of Archeparchy of Changanacherry and Mar Prince Antony Panengadan (48) until present Bishop of the Eparchy of Adilabad both elections were made public on August 30, 2024.

Archbishop Thomas Tharayil was born on February 2, 1972, in Changanacherry. He was ordained a priest on January 1, 2000, after completing his theological studies at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor. He holds a doctorate in psychology from the Gregorian University in Rome and has served as Director of Danahalaya, an Institute of Formation in Alappuzha. Known for his expertise in psychology and as a retreat preacher, he was ordained as a bishop on April 23, 2017, and now assumes the role of Archbishop of Changanacherry.

Bishop Prince Antony Panengadan was born on March 13, 1976, in Arimpur, Archdiocese of Trichur. He was ordained a priest on April 25, 2007, after completing his theological studies at Ruhalay Seminary, Ujjain. He later obtained a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from Urbaniana University, Rome. Bishop Panengadan has served as Assistant Parish Priest and priest-in-charge of mission stations in the Eparchy of Adilabad. He was ordained a bishop on October 29, 2015, and is now appointed as the Bishop of the Eparchy of Shamshabad.

Dr. Stephen Alathara