View source for Thomas Tharayil (archbishop of Changanassery)

{{Short description|Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop (born 1972)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = [[Mar (title)|Mar]]
| name = Thomas Tharayil
| native_name =
| honorific-suffix =
| title = [[Metropolitan Archbishop]] of [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry|Changanacherry]]
| image =
| caption =
| archdiocese = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry]]
| ended =
| see = <!--[[Anthedon (Palestine)|Agrippia]] (titular)-->
| successor =
| ordination = 1 January 2000
| consecration = 23 April 2017
| enthroned = 31 October 2024
| predecessor = [[Joseph Perumthottam]]
| other_post = Chairman of the Syro-Malabar Commission for Media
| rank = [[Metropolitan Archbishop]]
| birth_name = Tomy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|2|2}}
| birth_place = [[Changanacherry]], [[Kottayam district]], [[Kerala]]
| buried =
| religion = [[Catholic Church]]
| residence = Archbishop's House, Changanassery
| parents = T.J.Joseph and Mariamma
| alma_mater = [[SB College|SB College Changansserry]]
| signature =
| appointed = 30 August 2024
| coat_of_arms     =
| coat_of_arms_alt =
<!-- -------- Other -------- -->
| other            =
}}
'''Thomas Tharayil'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Syro Malabar Church :: Bishops|url=http://www.syromalabarchurch.in/syro-malabar-church-bishps.php|access-date=2021-07-09|website=www.syromalabarchurch.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Catholic Bishops' Conference of India|url=https://www.cbci.in/detail_Slide.aspx?id=230|access-date=2021-07-20|website=www.cbci.in}}</ref> (born 2 February 1972) is the [[Metropolitan Archbishop]] of the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry|Syro Malabar Archeparchy of Changanssery]] from 31 October 2024.
He was the auxiliary bishop of [[Syro-Malabar Church|Syro-Malabar]] [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry|Archeparchy of Changanacherry]] from 23 April 2017 until his installation as archbishop.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|title=Fr Thomas Tharayil elected Changanassery auxiliary bishop|work=The New Indian Express|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/jan/15/fr-thomas-tharayil-elected-changanassery-auxiliary-bishop-1559739.html|access-date=2021-07-09}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |title=Mar Tharayil ordained auxiliary bishop |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/mar-tharayil-ordained-auxiliary-bishop/article18196184.ece |access-date=2021-07-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Bishop Thomas Tharayil (Tomy) [Catholic-Hierarchy]|url=http://catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bthart.html|access-date=2021-07-09|website=catholic-hierarchy.org}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=16 January 2017 |title=Fr. Thomas Tharayil New Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese Changanacherry – CCBI |url=https://ccbi.in/fr-thomas-tharayil-new-auxiliary-bishop-of-changanacherry/ |access-date=2021-07-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>
On 30 August 2024, [[Raphael Thattil|Mar Raphael Thattil]] announced the election of Mar Tharayil as the Archbishop of Changanacherry succeeding [[Joseph Perumthottam]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Archdiocese Changanacherry |url=https://www.archdiocesechanganacherry.org/index.php/welcome/about_aux |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=www.archdiocesechanganacherry.org}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> He was enthroned as the [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan]] of Archeparchy of Changanassery on 31 October 2024 in [[St. Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Changanassery|St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral Church, Changanassery]]. <ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=Changanacherry |first=Madhyastan Bulletin |date=5 November 2024 |title=Coat of Arms of Archbishop Thomas Tharayil |language=en-IN |work=Vedaprachara Madhyastan |url=https://www.archdiocesechanganacherry.org/index.php/welcome/bullettin |access-date=2024-11-05 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
== Early life ==
Thomas Tharayil, born on 2 February 1972,<ref name=":3" /> is the youngest son among the seven children of T. J. Joseph and Mariamma at [[Changanassery|Changanacherry]],<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> [[Kottayam district|Kottayam district, Kerala]]. He attended [[St. Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Changanassery|St Mary's&nbsp;Metropolitan Church, Changanacherry]]. He had his primary education in St Joseph's L. P. School, Changanassery, and his high school education at Sacred Heart English Medium School, Fathimapuram, completing his pre-degree course at [[St. Berchmans College|St Berchmans College, Changanassery]].<ref name=":1" />
He then joined the minor seminary of Changanacherry Archeparchy, St Thomas Minor Seminary, Kurichy, for priestly formation. He completed his philosophical and  theological studies in St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor.<ref name=":3" /> He was ordained priest  by [[Joseph Powathil|Mar Joseph Powathil]] on 1 January 2000, the Great Jubilee Year, at [[St. Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Changanassery|St Mary's Metropolitan Church]], Changanacherry.<ref name="The Hindu">{{Cite news|date=2017-04-23|title=Mar Tharayil ordained auxiliary bishop|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/mar-tharayil-ordained-auxiliary-bishop/article18196184.ece|access-date=2021-07-09|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name=":0"/>
== Priestly life ==
Father Tharayil served as assistant vicar in  Athirampuzha (2000), Nedumkunnam (2001) and Koilmuck-Edathua (2003). He served at Thazhathuvadakara as vicar in the year 2004.<ref name=":3" />
He did doctoral studies in psychology from [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] (2004–2011). After his doctorate in Rome he was appointed as the Director of Dhanahalaya, Institute of Formation and Counselling, Punnapra, Alappuzha, in 2011.<ref name="The Hindu"/><ref name=":3" /> He served as visiting professor to St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, National Vocation Service Centre, Pune [[Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram|Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and Institute of Formators, Bengaluru]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Fr Thomas Tharayil elected Changanassery auxiliary bishop|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/jan/15/fr-thomas-tharayil-elected-changanassery-auxiliary-bishop-1559739.html|access-date=2021-07-09|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
== Auxiliary bishop ==
The synod of bishops of the [[Syro-Malabar Church]], held at Kakkanad Mount St Thomas, elected Fr Thomas Tharayil (Tomy) as auxiliary bishop of the Changanassery archdiocese<ref name=":5" /> on 14 January 2017.<ref name=":5"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> He was conferred as the auxiliary bishop by [[Joseph Perumthottam|Mar Joseph Perumthottam]] on 23 April 2017.<ref name="The Hindu"/> [[Pope Francis]] assigned to the Auxiliary Bishop-Elect the Titular See of Agrippia.<ref name=":4" /> The southern part of the Changanacherry Archeparchy consisting of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Amboori Foranes is under the attention of Mar Thomas Tharayil.<ref name=":0" />
On 20 October 2020 there was a hunger strike protest by three bishops of Catholic Church, [[Joshua Ignathios|Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios of Mavelikkara]], chairman of the Kerala Bishops' Council (KCBC) Education Commission, its vice-chairman, [[Paul Antony Mullassery|Bishop Paul Anthony Mullassery]] of Kollam and Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Tharayil of Changanassery, against the government  for educational rights.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|date=2020-10-22|title=India: three bishops on hunger strike for educational rights - Vatican News|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2020-10/india-bishops-kerala-schools-christian-hunger-strike-protest.html|access-date=2021-08-03|website=www.vaticannews.va|language=en}}</ref> [[Soosa Pakiam|Archbishop Soosa Pakiam]] said that in the last five years, the government has not distributed its promised aid to over 3,000 teachers in Catholic schools.<ref name=":6" />
== Metropolitan Archbishop ==
On the Third Session of the Thirty-Second Synod of Bishops, Mar Thomas Tharayil was elected Archbishop. On 30 August 2024, [[Raphael Thattil]] announced the election of Mar Tharayil as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Changanacherry succeeding Mar [[Joseph Perumthottam]]. Mar Thomas Tharayil was enthroned on 31 October 2024 Marth Mariyam Metropolitan Cathedral (Vallya Palli).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tharayil, Bishop Thomas}}
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar bishops]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]