Gheevarghese Mar Aprem is the

Auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions. ...

of the

Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam The Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam is a Knanaya metropolitan archeparchy of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India. The archeparchy is exclusively for Knanaya faithful who claim to be the descendants of Syriac Judeo-Christians ...

. He was elected by the

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

of the

Syro-Malabar Catholic Church The Syro-Malabar Church, also known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church based in Kerala, India. It is a '' sui iuris'' (autonomous) particular church in full communion with the Holy See and the worldwide Cathol ...

as the Auxiliary Bishop on August 29, 2020.

Early life and education

Gheevarhese Mar Aprem was born George Kurisummotil on August 9, 1961, in Thiruvalla, Kerala as a member of the Knanaya malankara Catholic community. He began his priestly formation at St. Stanislaw's Minor Seminary in

Kottayam Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...

. He then continued his studies at St. Joseph's Diocesan Seminary in

Mangalore Mangaluru (), formerly called Mangalore ( ), is a major industrial port city in the Indian state of Karnataka and on the west coast of India. It is located between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bengaluru, the st ...

Ministry

After his ordination, He served as the Kottayam Minor Seminary as its vice rector and then served in numerous parishes for a decade while attaining a master's in sacred art at the Holy Spirit Maronite University in Kaslik, Lebanon. After his master's, He taught iconography at

Saint Ephrem Ephrem the Syrian (; ), also known as Ephraem the Deacon, Ephrem of Edessa or Aprem of Nisibis, (Syriac: ܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ — ''Mâr Aphrêm Sûryâyâ)'' was a prominent Christian theology, Christian theologian and Christian literat ...

Ecumenical Research Institute and theology of icons at the Saint Thomas Apostolic Seminary. He then served as director of the “Hadusa” Commission for the Performing Arts till he was appointed as the parish priest of Saint Theresa's Catholic Church, Ranni, a role that he served until his appointment as bishop. In 2019, Archbishop

Mathew Moolakkatt Mar Mathew Moolakkatt (27 February 1953), a Knanaya Catholic Archbishop was born in Uzhavoor, India. Currently he is Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam, succeeding Kuriakose Kunnacherry upon his retirement, he is a ...

appointed him as the vicar-general of the Syro Malankara Faithful in the archdiocese.

Auxiliary bishop

He was appointed on August 29, 2020, After long consideration and debate between the Syro Malabar Archeparchy, The Synod, and the Syro Malankara Catholicos for the need of an auxiliary bishop for the Syro Malankara Faithful in the Community. He was consecrated by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Thiruvilla Thomas Mar Koorilos , Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, and Mar Matthew Moolakkatt.

References

1961 births Living people People from Thiruvalla {{India-RC-bishop-stub