Pope Francis appointed Father George Kurisummoottil as the auxiliary bishop of Kottayam Syro-Malabar archdiocese on Aug. 29, 2020. He takes care of its Knanaya faithful from Syro-Malankara Church.
Bishop Kurisummoottil was serving as vicar general for the Syro-Malankara faithful of the archdiocese. Father Kurisummottil has chosen the name of Gheevarghese Mar Aprem.
He was born on Aug. 9, 1961, in Tiruvalla, Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. He entered St. Stanislaw’s Minor Seminary in Kottayam after primary school.
He did his philosophical and theological studies in St. Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary in Mangalore.
After his priestly ordination on Dec. 27, 1987, he was vice-rector of the minor seminary for three years.
He served for ten years in various parishes, before earning his master’s degree in sacred art from Holy Spirit Maronite University in Kaslik (Lebanon), where he resided from 2001 to 2004.
He was the director of the “Hadusa” commission for performing arts of Kottayam archdiocese from 2009 to 2013.
He has also served as parish priest of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Ranni.
