In a historic moment, Pope Francis elevated Archbishop George Jacob Kouvakad to the rank of cardinal, making him the first Catholic priest from India to be directly ordained.
The 51-year-old monsignor – a senior member of the Catholic Church’s clergy – who joined the Vatican diplomatic service in 2006, was among 21 priests from around the world admitted to the College of Cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday. .
Church spokesman Father Antony Vadakkekara said: “It is a great honor for the Syro-Malabar Church that one of its sons has been directly elevated as a cardinal, a first in India.”
Until now, only archbishops were appointed cardinals in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the moment “a matter of great joy and pride for India”. He said, “His famous George Cardinal Kuwakad has dedicated his life to the service of humanity as an ardent follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Who is Monsignor Koovakad?
George Jacob Koovakkad, belonging to the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Changanacherry, was born in Thiruvananthapuram in 1973. He was ordained as a priest in 2004. He later received advanced training for diplomatic service at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and has served in Apostolic Nunciatures in Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica and Venezuela.
At the School of Canon Law, he received his doctorate in June 2006 with a thesis on the obligation of poverty for secular clergy in the Codes of Canon Law, and he previously earned a bachelor’s degree in 2002 and a licentiate in 2004. Served as assistant vicar in Paris before moving to the Vatican.
After finishing the preparatory program at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 2006.
His early assignments included working at the Embassy of the Holy See – Nunciature in Algeria, followed by serving in the role of Secretary to the Nunciature in South Korea from 2009 to 2012 and in Iran from 2012 to 2014. He then served as a counselor to the nunciature. In Costa Rica from 2014 to 2018 and in Venezuela from 2018 to 2020, according to the Holy See’s Acta Apostolicae Sedis.
In 2014, he was honored with the title of Priest of His Holiness, and in 2019, he was named Prelate of Honor of His Holiness.
According to the Holy See, in July 2020 he joined the staff of the Secretariat of State and since 2021, Monsignor George Jacob Kuvacad is a member of the Vatican’s diplomatic corps and is responsible for organizing papal trips.
Pope Francis appointed Kouvakad in October as the titular archbishop of Nisibis of the Chaldeans, and he received his episcopal consecration last month from Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil at Changanassery Cathedral.