George Antonysamy
{{short description|Indian prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1952)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = archbishop
| honorific-prefix = His Grace, the Most Reverend
| name = George Antonysamy
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore
| image = Chennai Bishop.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| church = {{ubl | Catholic Church | Latin Church}}
| archdiocese = Madras and Mylapore
| see =
| appointed = 21 November 2012
| term_start = 21 November 2012
| predecessor = Malayappan Chinnappa
| successor =
| other_post = Member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (November{{nbsp}}2020{{nbnd}}present){{Cite web |url=https://mattersindia.com/2020/11/madras-mylapore-archbishop-named-vatican-congregation-member/ |title=Madras-Mylapore archbishop named Vatican congregation member – Matters India |date=18 November 2020|access-date=1 October 2022|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123101805/https://mattersindia.com/2020/11/madras-mylapore-archbishop-named-vatican-congregation-member/|url-status=live}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|2|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tiruchirapalli, Madras State, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence = Archbishop's House, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| previous_post = {{blist
| Charge d’Affaires of the Vatican Embassy in Jordan
| Titular Archbishop of Sulci
| Apostolic Nuncio to Gambia, Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone
}}
| coat_of_arms =
| motto = {{langnf|la|Lumen Fidei|The Light of Faith|break=yes}}
| module = {{Ordination
| embed = yes
| expand = History
| denomination = Catholic
| name =
| alternate name =
| ordained deacon by =
| date of diaconal ordination =
| place of diaconal ordination =
| ordained priest by =
| date of priestly ordination = 19 November 1980
| place of priestly ordination =
| consecrated by = Ivan Cornelius Dias
| co-consecrators = {{ubl | Henryk Franciszek Hoser | Antony Devotta}}
| date of consecration = 21 September 2005
| place of consecration = Cathedral, Tiruchirapalli, Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
| elevated by =
| date of elevation =
| bishop 1 = Edward Tamba Charles
| consecration date 1 = 2008
| bishop 2 = Andrew Jagaye Karnley
| consecration date 2 = 2011
| bishop 3 = Charles Allieu Matthew Campbell
| consecration date 3 = 2011
}}
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name = George Antonysamy
| dipstyle=His Grace
| offstyle=Your Grace
| relstyle=His Grace
| deathstyle=not applicable}}
George Antonysamy (born 15 February 1952), is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been bishop of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore since 2012. He previously served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
Biography
Antonysamy was born on 15 February 1952 in Trichy, Tamilnadu. He completed his primary education in Trichy and entered St. Augustine's Minor Seminary. He completed his Bachelor of Philosophy and Master of Theology degrees at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.{{Cite news |url=http://www.ucanindia.in/news/george-antonysamy-new-archbishop-of-madras-mylapore/19689/daily |title=George Antonysamy new archbishop of Madras-Mylapore |publisher=UCAN India|access-date=30 May 2019|archive-date=22 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822013550/http://www.ucanindia.in/news/george-antonysamy-new-archbishop-of-madras-mylapore/19689/daily|url-status=usurped}}
He was ordained a Catholic priest on 19 November 1980. He served as an assistant parish priest at Holy Redeemer's Minor Basilica, Trichy for one year.
He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 March 1987. His early postings included assignments in Indonesia, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Bangladesh, and Lithuania. He became the Chargé d'affaires of the nunciature in Jordan in 2002.
On 4 August 2005, Pope John Paul II named him titular archbishop of Sulci and Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea, Liberia, and Gambia.{{cite press release | access-date = 31 May 2019 |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 04.08.2005 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/08/04/0403/00945.html |date=4 August 2005 | archive-date = 1 October 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221001072928/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/08/04/0403/00945.html | url-status = live}}
He received his episcopal consecration on 21 September 2005 from Cardinal Ivan Dias.{{cite web |title=Archbishop George Antonysamy |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bantong.html |website=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |access-date=13 August 2022 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813064447/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bantong.html |url-status=live}}
On 20 September 2005 he was named Nuncio to Sierra Leone as well.{{cite press release | access-date = 31 May 2019 |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 20.09.2005 | trans-title = Resignations and Appointments, 20.09.2005 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/09/20/0473/01144.html |date=20 September 2005 | archive-date = 31 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190531121303/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/09/20/0473/01144.html | url-status = live}}
He was replaced as Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea by Martin Krebs on 8 September 2008,{{cite press release | access-date = 31 May 2019 |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 08.09.2008 | trans-title = Resignations and Appointments, 08.09.2008 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2008/09/08/0552/01382.html |date=8 September 2008 | archive-date = 27 November 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191127185951/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2008/09/08/0552/01382.html | url-status = live}} but continued to hold his other appointments as Nuncio.
On 21 November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him archbishop of Madras and Mylapore.{{cite press release | access-date = 31 May 2019 |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 21.11.2012 | trans-title = Resignations and Appointments, 21.11.2012 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2012/11/21/0673/01547.html |date=21 November 2012 | archive-date = 31 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190531121259/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2012/11/21/0673/01547.html | url-status = live}}
In May 2018, he led demonstrations and protested police brutality against Catholic protesters who oppose the expansion of a copper plant. He said the protests "drew inspiration" from the directive Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si that "the church should return to its mission of ministering to the poor and marginalized, advancing the cause of the environment for those who most depend on it."{{cite news | access-date = 31 May 2019 |work=UCA News |date=28 May 2018 |url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/indian-catholics-condemn-police-brutality-after-protesters-shot/82423 |title=Indian Catholics condemn police brutality after protesters shot | archive-date = 31 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190531124324/https://www.ucanews.com/news/indian-catholics-condemn-police-brutality-after-protesters-shot/82423 | url-status = live}}
In 2018 he was one of four delegates elected by the Indian Catholic Bishops' Conference to participate in the Synod of Bishops on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment.{{cite press release |access-date =31 May 2019 |publisher=Holy See Press Office |date=15 September 2018 |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/09/15/0644/01374.html |title=XV Assemblea Generale Ordinaria del Sinodo dei Vescovi (3-28 ottobre 2018) – Elenco dei Partecipanti, 15.09.2018 |trans-title =XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (3-28 October 2018) – List of Participants, 15.09.2018 |language=it |archive-date =7 June 2019 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190607194850/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/09/15/0644/01374.html |url-status =live}}
On 12 January 2019 he was re-elected vice president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).{{cite news |first=Robin |last=Gomes | access-date = 31 May 2019 |website=Vatican News |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2019-01/india-latin-bishops-ccbi-office-bearers-plenary-assembly.html |title=India's Latin-rite bishops elect new office bearers |date=12 January 2019 | archive-date = 31 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190531125058/https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2019-01/india-latin-bishops-ccbi-office-bearers-plenary-assembly.html | url-status = live}}
Antonysamy speaks several languages including Tamil, English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{wikiquote-inline}}
- {{commonscat-inline}}
{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= India}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonysamy, George}}
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in India
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Guinea
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Liberia
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Sierra Leone
Category:Apostolic nuncios to the Gambia
Category:Indian Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:People from Tiruchirappalli