Shillong, Dec 8: In a historic moment for the Indian Catholic Church, 51-year-old George Jacob Koovakad was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Francis during a solemn consistory held at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday.

The ceremony brought together clergy and dignitaries from across the world to witness the induction of 21 new Cardinals, each representing diverse regions and cultures.

After the ceremony, the newly elevated cardinals visited Pope Francis at the Vatican Palace to receive his personal blessing.

During the Holy Mass for the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of New Cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis emphasized to the newly appointed cardinals that their elevation is not a path to worldly honor but a call to reflect God’s glory. Drawing a parallel to Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, the Pope urged them to place the Lord at the center of their mission and dedicate themselves to fostering unity and communion within the Church.

He urged the 21 new Cardinals to “walk in the way of Jesus: together, with humility, wonder and joy.”

Hailing from the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanacherry in Kerala, Cardinal Koovakad’s appointment brings the number of Indian cardinals to six.

Born on August 11, 1973, in Kerala, Cardinal Koovakad was ordained a priest on July 24, 2004. His early years of priesthood were marked by rigorous theological study and pastoral work. He earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 2006.

Over the years, he has held key positions in Apostolic Nunciatures in countries such as Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. In 2020, he was appointed to the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, where he took charge of organizing Pope Francis’s international travels.

Expressing pride in Cardinal Koovakad’s elevation as the Cardinal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is a moment of honor for the nation. “It is a matter of immense pride for India that Archbishop George Koovakad will be created as a Cardinal by His Holiness Pope Francis,” the Prime Minister wrote on his X (formerly twitter) handle. He also shared that a delegation led by Union Minister George Kurian had travelled to the Vatican to witness the ceremony.

Also Read: Assam CM slams Congress MP Rakibul Hussain over alleged “beef politics” in Assam

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub