TRIBUTE PAID TO ARCHBISHOP CORNELIUS ELANJIKAL

TRIBUTE PAID TO

ARCHBISHOP CORNELIUS ELANJIKAL

Archbishop Cornelius Elanjikal (93), former head of the Varapuzha Archdiocese, passed away at a private hospital in Ernakulam on Sunday morning, 7th August, 2011.. He was under treatment for respiratoty ailments. He was taken to a private hospital on Friday (5^th August,2011).Cornelius Elanjikal was born on September 8, 1918 and is an Indian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was ordained a priest on March 18, 1945.

 Elanjikal was appointed in 1971 to the Diocese of Vijayapuram and was ordained a bishop on April 4, 1971. From 1987 to 1996 he served the Varapuzha Diocese. After serving the head of the Vijayapuram Diocese for 15 years, the Bishop took charge as the head of the Varappuzha Arch Diocese in 1987 as the successor to Dr. Joseph Kelanthara.After retiring from the post in 1996, the Bishop was leading a retired life at Chembumukku, Kakkanad, near here. The Bishop had waged wars against several social injustices and initiated several projects for the dalits and the downtrodden people.The Bishop had also penned several Books and  songs to be sung during holy rites.

  The funeral will be held at St Francis Assisi Cathedral on Tuesday,9th August,2011. The mortal remains of the Archbishop will be kept at the cathedral on Monday and the St.Alberts Higher Secondary School grounds on Tuesday for the public to pay their respects.

  The Archbishop, whose sense of humour and warmth endered him to the people,was a vedic scholar with a deep knowledge of Hindu theology and a prolific composer of Christian devotional songs
  Chief Minister Oommen Chandi was among the dignitaries who visited Lourdes Hospital on Sunday to pay their last respects to the Archbishop. The Kerala Catholic Bishops council said his deep knowledge of other religions helped him love every one as his brothers and sisters..
  The Archbishop was born at Kara, a village near Kodungalloor in Thrissur district in 1918. He had his school education at Mount Carmel School and St. Alberts Higher Secondary School, Ernakulam.He completed his seminary studies at St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary Mangalappuzha and Urbaniana Seminary, Rome He obtained doctoral degree in Hindu philosophy and Canon Law from Propaganda College, Rome..He was ordained priest in March 1945 and his early assignments included being secretary to Archbishop Attippetty.

                                                 Prof. John Kurakar