WASHINGTON—The Synod of Major Archbishops of the Syro-Malankara
Church has erected the Eparchy of Parassala, India, and with the assent
of Pope Francis, elected as the first bishop of this new eparchy, the
Most Reverend Thomas Mar Eusebius Naickamparambil. Up until now, Bishop
Eusebius has been bishop of the Syro-Malankara Eparchy of Saint Mary
Queen of Peace of the United States and Canada.

The Holy Father
has also given assent to the nomination of the Most Reverend Philipose
Mar Stephanos Thattathil, up until now auxiliary bishop of Tiruvalla,
India, as the next bishop of the Syro-Malankara Eparchy of Saint Mary
Queen of Peace of the United States and Canada.

The
appointments were publicized in Washington, August 5, by Msgr. Walter
Erbi, Chargé d’Affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in the United
States.

Bishop Philipose Mar Stephanos was born May 9, 1952 in
Pathanamthitta, India and was ordained to the priesthood on April 27,
1979. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Tiruvalla on January 25,
2010 and installed on February 9, 2010.

Bishop Eusebius was
born June 6, 1961 and ordained a priest, December 29, 1986. He was
ordained a bishop on September 21, 2010 at Saint Mary’s Cathedral,
Trivandrum and was installed as the first bishop of the Syro-Malankara
Catholic Apostolic Exarchate in the USA. He was later appointed as the
first bishop of the then newly established Eparchy of St. Mary Queen of
Peace for the Syro-Malaknara faithful in USA and Canada on December 18,
2015 and was installed as its bishop, January 23, 2016.

The
Syro-Malankara Eparchy of Saint Mary Queen of Peace is based in Elmont,
New York and has around 11,500 members with 16 parishes in the United
States and Canada.

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is
centered in southern Indian and has about 500,000 faithful. Parassala
is located in the southern-most part of this region.

—

Keywords:
Pope Francis, Most Reverend Thomas Mar Eusebius Naickamparambil, Most
Reverend Philipose Mar Stephanos Thattathil, Monsignor Walter Erbi,
Chargé d’ Affaires, Apostolic Nunciature, Syro-Malankara Eparchy of
Saint Mary, Queen of Peace, Syro-Malaknara Faithful, United States,
Canada, Parassala, India.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Judy Keane
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops