Mar Joseph Pamplany appointed as vicar to Major Archbishop

Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany

Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany was on Saturday appointed as the vicar of Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church Mar Raphael Thattil after Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Mar Bosco Puthur from the post of the apostolic administrator of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.

The development came amidst the escalating stand-off between the rival factions in the archdiocese over the observation of the unified Mass liturgy.

The appointment was made at the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church at the Mount St. Thomas in Kakkanad here on Saturday. The election was subsequently confirmed by Pope Francis. He will continue to serve as the Archbishop of Thalassery, according to a communication issued by the Syro-Malabar Church.

Bishop Puthur, who was appointed to the Office on December 7, 2023, had submitted his resignation in September 2024 due to health reasons. With his resignation, the governance of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese has been entrusted to the Major Archbishop by the Apostolic See of Rome. Meanwhile, Archbishop Cyril Vasil will continue as the pontifical delegate to the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

The office of the Vicar of the Major Archbishop will function according to guidelines approved by the Synod of Bishops, it said.