The Holy Father has appointed His Excellency Monsignor Raphy Manjaly, currently Bishop of the Diocese of Allahabad, as Metropolitan Archbishop of Agra. This follows the acceptance of the resignation of Archbishop Albert D’Souza on reaching the canonical retirement age for bishops last year.
Sixty-two-year old Bishop Manjaly was born on February 7, 1958, in Vendore, in southern India’s Kerala state. After his school in his native state, he joined St. Lawrence Minor Seminary, Agra, in 1973 and continued his philosophy and theology at St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad. He did his graduation and post-graduation degrees from Agra University. He obtained a doctoral degree from Angelicum University of Rome, Italy.
He was ordained a priest on May 11, 1983. Pope Benedict VI appointed him Bishop of Varanasi on February 24, 2007, and he was consecrated bishop on April 30, that year. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Allahabad on October 17, 2013.