Kakkanad – Mar Raphael Thattil, Bishop of Shamshabad Diocese is elected to head the Syro-Malabar Church as her Fourth Major Archbishop.

The official announcement was made during a Press Meet held at Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia Office at Mount St Thomas at 4.30 PM local time. The announcement was also made from the Holy See’s office at 12 Pm, Italian Time.

Elections for the new Major Archbishop took place during the 32nd Synod of Bishops convened on 8th January at Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad. Fifty-Three Bishops participated in electing the new Major Archbishop. The new Major Archbishop was elected following the acquisition of a two-third vote during the election.

Mar Raphael Thattil will be installed as the new Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church at Mount St Thomas on 11th January, 2023 at 4PM local time.

The elections were held after a period of twelve years, following the resignation of Cardinal Mar George Alencherry on December 7th, 2023.

Mar Raphael Thattil was born to Ouseph and Thresia on 21 April 1956 and was baptized on 30 April 1956 in Thrissur. Lazar (late), Thomas, Baby (late) Francis, Sosannam, Joy and John, are his brothers and sisters.

After his primary education at St. Thomas College HS, Thrissur, he joined St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Thope on 04 July 1971. He completed his study of Philosophy and Theology in St. Thomas Ap. Seminary Kottayam in 1980. He was ordained by Mar Joseph Kundukulam in Thrissur Doloures Basilica. on 21 December 1980. He did his higher studies in Rome and took doctorate in Oriental Canon Law. His thesis was on "Clerical Formation in the Syro Malabar Church: A Historico-Juridical Study".

After his ordination he served as Asst. Vicar, Aranattukara (1981-82), Fr. Prefect & Asst. Procurator, St Mary's Minor Seminary (1982-83), Acting Vicar, Koonammoochy (1983), Acting Vicar, Cherumkuzhy (1983). On returning back from Rome, he served in the Archbishop's house as Vice Chancellor, Chancellor, Adj. Judicial Vicar, Judge and later as Syncellus and Proto-Syncellus. He was the director of DBCLC & Catechism (1992-1995). On 20 January1998, he was appointed as the project officer of the new Marymatha Major Seminary, after a few months appointed as the first Rector of the Marymatha Seminary (1998-2006). He also worked as president and member of many a committees and commissions.

He was ordained as Bishop on 10 April 2010 and appointed as Auxiliary bishop of Trichur and Titular Bishop of Bruni. In 2014, he was appointed as Apostolic visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful residing outside the territorium proprium.

Pope Francis named him the first Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Shamshabad on 10 October 2017 and he was installed on 7 January 2018.