John Nellikunnel (born 22 March 1973) is an Indian

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

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 ...

who serves as the

Eparch Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an Ecclesiology, ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administra ...

of the

Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Idukki The Eparchy of Idukki is an eparchy of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in southern India. It belongs to the ecclesiastical province of Syro-Malabar Catholic Major Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Eranakulam-Angamaly. Its cathedral church is ...

since his installation in 2018.

Biography

John Nellikunnel was born on 22 March 1973 in Kadaplamattom, Kerala to Varkey and Mary Nellikunnel. He has one sister who is a nun, and two brothers. One of his brothers Mathew Nellikunnel was appointed Eparch of the Eparchy of Gorakhpur, making history as the first two brothers to serve together in the Syro-Malabar Synod of Bishops. Nellikunnel went to St. Mary’s High School, Mariapuram before in 1988 when he began his priestly formation at the Minor Seminary of the Eparchy of Kothamangalam. He attended the St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor for the philosophical and theological studies. He was then ordained as a Priest by George Punnakottil on 30 December 1998. He served in various assistant pastor roles in the Eparchy before going back for studies at the

Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...

in Rome for a Licentiate in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Philosophy from the

Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas The Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (PUST), also known as the ''Angelicum'' or ''Collegio Angelico'' (in honor of its patron, the ''Doctor Angelicus'' Thomas Aquinas), is a pontifical university located in the historic center of R ...

. He then came back to India for Pastoral duties until in 2010 when he was appointed the Eparchial Chancellor and Secretary to the Bishop by

Mathew Anikuzhikattil Mathew Anikuzhikattil (23 September 1942 – 1 May 2020) was a Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop who spearheaded anti Kasthurirangan and Gadgil commission protests. He served as bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Epar ...

. Along with these duties he was the Head of the Catechetical Department and Bible Apostolate along with being a resident staff at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha where he served as the Seminary Procurator. In 2015, He was appointed the Seminary's dean. In 2018, he was appointed to succeed

as the Eparch of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Idukki. He was ordained by Cardinal

George Alencherry George Alencherry (; born 19 April 1945) is the Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church after serving in the position from 2011 to 2023. He is also a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was elected by the Holy Synod of the ...

on 5 April 2018.

References

External links

Living people Syro-Malabar bishops People from Kottayam district 1973 births {{SyroMalabar-bishop-stub