02-08-2025
New Archbishop of Madurai Archdiocese installed
Antonysamy Savarimuthu was installed as the seventh Archbishop of Madurai Archdiocese at a solemn ceremony in St. Britto Higher Secondary School at Gnanaolivupuram here on Saturday.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and a battery of bishops and priests.
Thousands of Christians converged at the school to witness the ceremony. In a solemn rite, Madurai Archdiocese Chancellor Rev Fr. Angel read out a letter from Pope Francis declaring the elevation of Antonysamy Savarimuthu as Archbishop.
Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli handed over the sceptre to Antonysamy Savarimuthu.
The new archbishop was greeted by his predecessor and also Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli. Following this, priests from Madurai diocese greeted him. The ceremony was marked by singing of religious hymns.
Earlier, Archbishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu was the Bishop of Palayamkottai diocese. The archdiocese of Madurai was created in 1938, under which the suffragan dioceses of Sivaganga, Tiruchi, Dindigul, Thoothukudi, Palayamkottai and Kottai share the solidarity of Catholic faith.
The previous archbishops of Madurai diocese include Peter Leonard, Justin Diraviam, Casmir Gnanadikam, Marianus Arockiasamy, Peter Fernando and Anthony Pappusamy.
Tiruchi East MLA Inigo Irudhayaraj, Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan, BJP State president Nainar Nagendran and across the state bishops were also present.
