George Alencherry

George Alencherry (born 19 April 1945) is the Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church after serving in the postion from 2011 to 2023.

He is also a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

George Alencherry was born on 19 April 1945, the sixth of ten children born to Mary and Philipose Alencherry, in Thuruthy.

Geevarghese is his baptismal name.

Alencherry attended primary school at St Mary's School in Thuruthy and then St. Berchman's High School in Changanacherry.

In 1961 he entered the archdiocesan minor seminary at Parel, Changanacherry.

While he studied there, he obtained his bachelor's degree in economics from St. Berchmans College in Changanacherry.

He completed his philosophy and theology studies at St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary in Aluva.

On 18 December 1972, Antony Padiyara, archbishop of Chanagancherry, ordained him a priest at St. Mary's Church in Thuruthy for the archdiocese of Changanacherry.

He continued his studies at the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, earning a master's degree in the first rank.

While Alencherry was studying in Aluva, he served as vicar of the filial church at Periyarmugham in the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

After completing his studies at Aluva, Alencherry was appointed assistant vicar at the cathedral church of Changanacherry and Director of the Archdiocesan Faith Formation department.

Thereafter he served three years as secretary of the Commission for Catechism of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC).

He then studied in Paris at Sorbonne University and the Catholic Institute, where he obtained a doctorate in biblical theology.

Returning to India in 1986, Alencherry was appointed director of the Pastoral Oriental Centre (POC) at Palarivattom and deputy secretary of KCBC, serving until 1993.

From 1994 to 1996 he was the protosyncellus, roughly the equivalent of vicar general in the Latin church, of the archeparchy of Changanacherry.

Pope John Paul II erected the Diocese of Thuckalay by the papal bull Apud Indorum on 11 November 1996.

It was formed by separating the territory of the Archdiocese of Changanassery that included parts of the state of Tamil Nadu.

Alencherry was appointed bishop of the new eparchy.

The establishment of the diocese and Alencherry's appointment were promulgated on 18 December 1996.

He was the first bishop of Thuckalay from 1997 to 2011 before his enthronement as the major archbishop.

During these years he was also a professor at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Vadavathoor, where he continued until 1997.

Alencherry was consecrated a bishop on 2 February 1997 by Joseph Powathil, Metropolitan Archbishop of Changanassery, with Mathew Vattackuzhy, Bishop of Kanjirappally, and Lawrence Aprem, Bishop of Marthandam, as co-consecrators.

He was installed as bishop on the same day by Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.

He was elected by the Holy Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church in 2011 to succeed Varkey Vithayathil (1999–2011).

In May 2011, the bishops' synod of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church elected Alencherry to succeed Varkey Vithayathil as Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and head of the Syro-Malabar Church.

His election received papal approval and was announced simultaneously in Rome and at the synod on 26 May.

He was the first head of the Syro-Malabar Church to be elected by its synod.

Alencherry declared his service would be for all the people of India, stressing ecumenical relations among Christians and harmony with other religions.

He was created a cardinal on 18 February 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.

On 18 February 2012, Pope Benedict XVI elevated Alencherry to the rank of cardinal during a ceremony in Saint Peter's Basilica, creating him Cardinal-Priest of San Bernardo alle Terme.

Alencherry's visit to Rome for that consistory coincided with the arrest of Italian merchant marine officers on board the Enrica Lexie who shot and killed two Kerala fishermen on a fishing vessel.

Alencherry provided a statement to the Italian news service Agenzia Fides that "This episode must be investigated: if there is a guilty action, it must be treated legally and the guilty must be punished. We must fully respect truth and justice."

He denied any interest in serving as a mediator.

He had previously been quoted accusing some Kerala politicians of exploiting the incident for their own purposes and seemed to suggest he was actively seeking to resolve the dispute.

Upon his return to India, he expressed unreserved sympathy for the families of the dead fishermen and ascribed any other misunderstandings to misquotes by Fides.

On 24 April 2012, Alencherry was made a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and of the Congregation for the Oriental Catholic Churches.

Alencherry participated as a cardinal-elector in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

During the conclave, Alencherry was one of the four cardinal-electors from outside the Latin Church who wore different vestments, proper to their respective churches.

Following a series of attacks on Catholic properties, on 17 February 2015 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a ceremony celebrating two new Indian saints, expressed strong support for "equal respect for all religions" and denounced sectarian violence, but Alencherry warned that proposed anti-conversion legislation contradicted that rhetoric.