By Matters India Reporter

Alappuzha, Sept 23, 2020: The body of Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to Japan, was laid to rest at his native parish in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, southern India

The funeral September 22 was held with full state honors at St Thomas Church, Kokkamangalam in Cherthala.

Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, led the services, and he was assisted by Archbishops Antony Kariyil, vicar administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly, and Joseph Perumthottam of Changanacherry and Bishop Jacob Manathodath of Palghat.

Archbishop Chennoth died September 7 in Tokyo following a heart attack. The Syro-Malabar prelate from Kerala was reportedly recuperating after a stroke some time back.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala were among those who grieved over Chennoth’s death.

Archbishop Chennoth’s body, which was brought to Kochi from Japan on September 21, was kept in the morgue of Lisie Hospital in Kochi. The body was later kept in the hospital chapel and St Mary’s Basilica for the public to pay last respects.

Later, his body was taken to his ancestral house at Kokkamangalam and brought to the church.

Archbishop Chennoth was the apostolic nuncio to Japan since 2011.

He was born on October 13, 1943, as one of the six sons and two daughters of Joseph and Mariakutty of Kokkamangalam Chennoth family.

He joined seminary in 1960 and did his philosophy studies at Alwaye Major Seminary. He did his higher studies in Urbaniana Pontifical University, Rome. His ordination was on May 4, 1969, in Austria.

Archbishop also studied Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish that helped him as a Vatican diplomat. He was credited with teaching Pope John II Malayalam during the pontiff’s first India visit in February 1986. He had accompanied the Pope during his ten-day visit starting from New Delhi.

Chennoth’s first served as a Vatican diplomat in Turkey for three years and two years in the Vatican Curia before going to Belgium, Luxembourg and European Union for three years. He became a counselor in the nunciature in Spain in 1990. After three years, he served as counselor in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland until 1995.

He was made a nuncio while serving the Vatican embassy in Taiwan from 1995 to 1999. He then went to the African countries of Central African Republic, Chad and Tanzania.