Jacob Thoomkuzhy, revered former Archbishop of the Thrissur archdiocese and a prominent figure in the Syro-Malabar Church, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Church officials confirmed that he died at 2:50 pm. Details regarding the funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon.

Born in Pala, located in Kerala’s Kottayam district, Thoomkuzhy held several pivotal roles within the Church over his lifetime. He was appointed the inaugural Bishop of the Mananthavady diocese, later served as Bishop of Thamarassery, and was elevated to Archbishop of Thrissur in 1997.

He led the archdiocese for 10 years before retiring in 2007. Since then, he had been residing at a seminary, according to sources.

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, expressed his condolences, saying: “His contributions to the Church and society will be remembered with deep respect.”
PTI