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George Antonysamy

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His Grace, the Most Reverend
George Antonysamy
Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore
Church Catholic Church
Latin Church
Archdiocese Madras and Mylapore
Appointed 21 November 2012
Installed 27 January 2013
Predecessor Malayappan Chinnappa
Other post Member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (November 2020–present)[1]
Previous posts Charge d’Affaires of the Vatican Embassy in Jordan
Titular Archbishop of Sulci
Apostolic Nuncio to Gambia, Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone
Personal details
Born 15 February 1952
Tiruchirapalli, Madras State, India
Residence Archbishop's House, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Motto Lumen Fidei
(Latin for 'The Light of Faith')
Ordination history
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained by
Thomas Fernando
Date
19 November 1980
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecrator
Ivan Cornelius Dias
Co-consecrators
Henryk Franciszek Hoser
Antony Devotta
Date
21 September 2005
Place
Cathedral, Tiruchirapalli, Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by George Antonysamy as principal consecrator
Edward Tamba Charles
2008
Andrew Jagaye Karnley
2011
Charles Allieu Matthew Campbell
2011
Source(s):[2]

George Antonysamy (born 15 February 1952), is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been bishop of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore since 2012. He previously served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

Biography

Antonysamy was born on 15 February 1952 in Trichy, Tamilnadu.[3] He completed his primary education in Trichy and entered St. Augustine's Minor Seminary. He completed his Bachelor of Philosophy and Master of Theology degrees at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.[4]

He was ordained a Catholic priest on 19 November 1980.[3] He served as an assistant parish priest at Holy Redeemer's Minor Basilica, Trichy for one year.[4]

In preparation for a career in the diplomatic service, he completed the course of study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.[5]

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 March 1987. His early postings included assignments in Indonesia, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Bangladesh, and Lithuania.[3] He became the Chargé d'affaires of the nunciature in Jordan in 2002.[4]

On 4 August 2005, Pope John Paul II named him titular archbishop of Sulci and Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea, Liberia, and Gambia.[3]

He received his episcopal consecration on 21 September 2005 from Cardinal Ivan Dias.[2]

On 20 September 2005 he was named Nuncio to Sierra Leone as well.[6]

He was replaced as Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea by Martin Krebs on 8 September 2008,[7] but continued to hold his other appointments as Nuncio.

On 21 November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him archbishop of Madras and Mylapore.[8]

In May 2018, he led demonstrations and protested police brutality against Catholic protesters who oppose the expansion of a copper plant. He said the protests "drew inspiration" from the directive Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si that "the church should return to its mission of ministering to the poor and marginalized, advancing the cause of the environment for those who most depend on it."[9]

In 2018 he was one of four delegates elected by the Indian Catholic Bishops' Conference to participate in the Synod of Bishops on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment.[10]

On 12 January 2019 he was re-elected vice president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).[11]

Antonysamy speaks several languages including Tamil, English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian.[3]

References

  1. Back to citation "Madras-Mylapore archbishop named Vatican congregation member – Matters India". 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  2. Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 "Archbishop George Antonysamy". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 Back to citation occurrence 3.2 Back to citation occurrence 3.3 Back to citation occurrence 3.4 "Rinunce e Nomine, 04.08.2005" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 August 2005. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  4. Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Back to citation occurrence 4.2 "George Antonysamy new archbishop of Madras-Mylapore". UCAN India. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  5. Back to citation "Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni" (in Italian). Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  6. Back to citation "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.09.2005" [Resignations and Appointments, 20.09.2005] (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 20 September 2005. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  7. Back to citation "Rinunce e Nomine, 08.09.2008" [Resignations and Appointments, 08.09.2008] (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 8 September 2008. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  8. Back to citation "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.11.2012" [Resignations and Appointments, 21.11.2012] (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  9. Back to citation "Indian Catholics condemn police brutality after protesters shot". UCA News. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  10. Back to citation "XV Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi (3-28 ottobre 2018) – Elenco dei Partecipanti, 15.09.2018" [XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (3-28 October 2018) – List of Participants, 15.09.2018] (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 15 September 2018. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  11. Back to citation Gomes, Robin (12 January 2019). "India's Latin-rite bishops elect new office bearers". Vatican News. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.