25 May 2025 | Kozhikode
In a moment marked by grace and ecclesial unity, our Syro-Malankara Catholic Church stood in prayerful presence as Kozhikode was elevated to the status of a Metropolitan Archdiocese and His Grace Archbishop Dr. Varghese Chakkalakal was installed as its first Metropolitan Archbishop.
His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of our Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and President of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, led the Word of God proclamation during the solemn Holy Qurbono, standing as a fraternal witness to this milestone in the Latin Catholic Church of northern Kerala.
We were further represented by His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mor Koorilos, His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mor Ignathios, and several other bishops and clergy from our Church, affirming the unity of the Catholic communion and the spiritual bond shared with the faithful of Malabar.
The Sacred Ascent of Kozhikode
In the presence of thousands of faithful, clergy, and dignitaries from across the nation, Archbishop Dr. Varghese Chakkalakal was solemnly enthroned at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Kozhikode, on 26 May 2025. His Excellency Archbishop Dr. Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to India, served as the principal celebrant and officiant of the rite.
The proclamation of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Bull—announcing the elevation of the Diocese of Kozhikode and the appointment of its first Metropolitan Archbishop—was received with deep joy. The readings in Latin, English, and Malayalam were rendered by senior vicars and the Archdiocesan Chancellor, drawing applause and prayerful reverence from the faithful.
Archbishop Chakkalakal then publicly professed his faith and was led to the Metropolitan throne, after which bishops, clergy, religious superiors, forane vicars, and lay representatives came forward to pledge their obedience and unity.
An Ecclesial Gathering of Witness
The Divine Liturgy, presided over by the new Metropolitan Archbishop, was a celebration marked by profound solemnity and inter-ritual fraternal love. Alongside His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, numerous bishops from the Syro-Malankara, Syro-Malabar, and Latin Churches concelebrated and witnessed the liturgy. Among them were:
- His Grace Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI)
- His Grace Archbishop Dr. Thomas J. Netto, of Trivandrum
- His Grace Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, of Tellicherry
- His Grace Archbishop Thomas Mor Koorilos
- His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mor Ignathios
- Other bishops from Kannur, Sultanpet, Kottappuram, and Verapoly
Our Church’s presence at this event was not merely ceremonial, but deeply spiritual—a reaffirmation of our shared apostolic mission and mutual respect rooted in the West Syriac and Latin traditions.
Reflections on Archbishop Chakkalakal’s Journey
Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal was ordained a priest in 1981 and was part of the first batch ordained by Bishop Maxwell Valentine Noronha. Appointed by Pope John Paul II as the first Bishop of Kannur in 1998, and later transferred to Kozhikode by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, Archbishop Chakkalakal has served with distinction, humility, and theological clarity.
He has held numerous leadership roles in the Church, including Secretary General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and President of the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishops’ Council (KRLCBC). He currently chairs the CCBI Commission for Vocations, Seminaries, Clergy, and Religious.
The elevation of Kozhikode as the third Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese in Kerala, following Verapoly and Trivandrum, comes at a historic juncture—coinciding with the centenary of the Diocese and the silver jubilee of Archbishop Chakkalakal’s episcopal ministry. The Apostolic Constitution bearing Pope Francis’ signature was dated 12 April 2025, the eve of Palm Sunday, just a week before his passing.
Legacy of Malabar’s Evangelical Mission
The Church in Kozhikode stands on a long tradition of missionary presence. From the arrival of Portuguese missionary Pedro Covilham in 1498, to the establishment of the first church in 1500 dedicated to St Anthony, to the missionary zeal of Italian Jesuits like Aldo Maria Patroni, who later supported the growth of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Tellicherry—Kozhikode’s ecclesiastical soil is rich in sacrifice and service.
It is from this tradition that Archbishop Chakkalakal now assumes the mantle of Metropolitan leadership, not as a solitary figure of honour, but as a servant of the Gospel, tasked with continuing the work begun by those who first brought the Word to the western shores of India.
Our Witness, Our Prayer
For us in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, the moment was one of solidarity, hope, and ecclesial communion. As we stood with our Latin brethren in their hour of celebration, we also renewed our own dedication to the unity of the Catholic Church in Kerala—a unity not of uniformity, but of shared faith expressed through distinct liturgical beauty and apostolic fidelity.
May Archbishop Chakkalakal’s service as Metropolitan be marked by wisdom, pastoral zeal, and a deep love for the people of God.
Subscribe to WhatsApp News Updates:
