By Matters India Reporter
Bengaluru, Nov 21, 2019: Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Antonysamy Savarimuthu as the new bishop of Palayamkottai diocese in Tamil Nadu state.
The bishop-designate is a priest of the same diocese.
The appointment was announced at 12 noon on November 20 in Rome and 4:30 pm, its corresponding time in India.
Monsignor Savarimuthu was born on December 8, 1960, and was ordained a priest on April 26, 1987.
He studied at St. Peter’s Minor Seminary, Madurai, and later at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore, from 1979 to 1987. From 1992 to 2000 he was at Institut Catholique de Paris, for the Licence and Doctorate in Canon Law.
He served the diocese as secretary to the Bishop of Palayamkottai (1987-1989) and professor at the Minor Seminary, Palayamkottai (1989-1992).
He then went to France for studies during 1992-2000.
On his return he was appointed the vocation promoter and rector of Christ Hall Seminary, Karumathur, a post he held until 2004.
He also served a visiting professor at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore until 2010. He was also the judicial vicar of tribunal Palayamkottai for five years from 2003.
He was the vicar general of Palayamkottai from 2004 to 2011.
Since 2011, he was the resident professor at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore.
At present, he is also dean of the Institute of Canon Law at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore.