Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church
April 21, 1956
September 29
December 21, 1980
April 10, 2010
January 11, 2024
His Beatitude Mar Raphael Thattil serves as the Father and Head of nearly five million Syro-Malabar faithful around the globe. He was elected as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church on January 8, 2024, and enthroned on January 11, 2024.
Mar Raphael Thattil was born to Ouseph and Thresia on April 21, 1956, and was baptized on April 30, 1956, in Thrissur. After his primary education at St. Thomas College HS, Thrissur, he joined St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Thope on July 4, 1971. He completed his study of Philosophy and Theology in St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Kottayam in 1980.
He was ordained by Mar Joseph Kundukulam in Thrissur Dolores Basilica on December 21, 1980. He pursued higher studies in Rome and obtained a doctorate in Oriental Canon Law. His doctoral thesis was on "Clerical Formation in the Syro Malabar Church: A Historico-Juridical Study".
After his ordination, he served in various capacities:
Upon returning from Rome, he served in the Archbishop's house in various administrative roles including Vice Chancellor, Chancellor, Adjunct Judicial Vicar, Judge, and later as Syncellus and Proto-Syncellus. He was the director of DBCLC & Catechism (1992-1995).
On January 20, 1998, he was appointed as the project officer of the new Marymatha Major Seminary, and after a few months was appointed as the first Rector of the Marymatha Seminary (1998-2006). He also worked as president and member of many committees and commissions.
He was ordained as Bishop on April 10, 2010, and appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Trichur and Titular Bishop of Bruni. In 2014, he was appointed as Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful residing outside the territorium proprium.
Pope Francis named him the first Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Shamshabad on October 10, 2017, and he was installed on January 7, 2018.
On January 8, 2024, the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Synod elected Mar Raphael Thattil as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church. His enthronement took place on January 11, 2024, at the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia, Mount St. Thomas, Kochi, Kerala, India.
