15 Facts About Baselios Cleemis

Baselios Cleemis was born on 15 June 1959 and is the current major archbishop-catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Baselios Cleemis was named to the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI on 24 November 2012.

Baselios Cleemis is the first cardinal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Baselios Cleemis served as President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India from 2014 to 2018, and is currently the president of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council.

Baselios Cleemis was born on 15 June 1959 as Isaac Thottumkal in Mukkoor, a small village close to Mallappally town in Pathanamthitta district in the State of Kerala in South India.

Baselios Cleemis studied for the Master of Theology in DVK Pontifical Athenaeum, Bangalore where he attended from 1986 to 1989.

Baselios Cleemis was consecrated on 15 August 2001 at Tirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla, assuming the name Isaac Mar Cleemis.

Baselios Cleemis was installed as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla on 10 June 2006.

Baselios Cleemis assumed the name Baselios Cleemis; Cleemis was enthroned the Second Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 5 March 2007 at St Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

Baselios Cleemis was elevated to the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI on 24 November 2012.

Baselios Cleemis is the first bishop of the Syro-Malankara Church and the fifth Keralite to be named a cardinal.

Baselios Cleemis said it was a sign of the Pope's appreciation of Indian Catholics' "unity in diversity", and cited the witness, the defense of human life, and the example of authentic prayer given by Mother Teresa of Kolkata.

On 31 January 2013, Baselios Cleemis was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as a Member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Baselios Cleemis participated as a cardinal-elector in the conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Baselios Cleemis is a title used in the Eastern Catholic churches for bishops of high rank granted by the Holy See to the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 6 November 1995.