Malankara church head raised to Cardinal's status

Pope Benedict XIV made the declaration elevating 53-year-old Cleemis as Cardinal, church sources said here.

Cleemis is the first ever Cardinal of Malankara Catholic Church, one of the three Catholic rites in Kerala.

Earlier this year, the Pope had made Mar George Alanchery of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church as Cardinal, as part of the conclave that elects the Pope.

"I consider this as a big recognition and honour for India and Kerala. This also demands greater dedication from me and the Malankara church to serve the church and the society," Cleemis told a Malayalam TV channel from Vatican.

Born in Mallapally in Pathanamthitta district in 1959, Cleemis was ordained as a priest in 1986 after his theological studies in Kerala and Pune. He also took a doctorate later from the Pontifical Seminary in Vatican.

After serving the church in different capacities, including that of bishop, Cleemis succeeded Mar Baselios as head of the Malankara church in 2007 as Major Archbishop and Catholicos.

An influential Catholic group in Kerala, Malankara church was born out of the "reunion movement" in the last century which marked sections of the Orthodox community joining the Catholic fold.

However, the community retained its oriental traditions and has maintained its identity. Cleemis is the fourth head of the Malankara church.