Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Archbishop Mar George Alencherry steps down

KOCHI: In press conference in Kochi, Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church declared his resignation after a tenure of 12 years. This step was taken with the approval of the Pope.

The Kuria Bishop Mar Sebastian Vaniyapuraykkal will take over temporary charge while Bishop Bosco Puthur assumes interim responsibility for the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly. Concurrently, Archbishop Andrews has relinquished his role as the Apostolic Administrator of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

Cardinal Alencherry expressed his gratitude stating, "By the grace of God, I have served as Major Archbishop since May 2011. Following careful consideration of our church's pastoral needs and my health condition, I conveyed my desire to retire to the Holy Father in July 2019."