George Koovakad
George Jacob Koovakad ܡܵܪܝ ܓܝܼܘܲܪܓܝܼܣ ܝܲܥܩܘܿܒ݂ ܟܘܼܘܲܟܵܕ | |||||||||||||||
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| Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue | |||||||||||||||
Koovakad in 2025 | |||||||||||||||
| Church | Syro-Malabar Church | ||||||||||||||
| Appointed | 24 January 2025 | ||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot | ||||||||||||||
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| Orders | |||||||||||||||
| Ordination | 24 July 2004 by Joseph Powathil | ||||||||||||||
| Consecration | 24 November 2024 by Raphael Thattil | ||||||||||||||
| Created cardinal | 7 December 2024 by Pope Francis | ||||||||||||||
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | 11 August 1973 Chethipuzha, Kerala, India | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Indian | ||||||||||||||
| Education | SB College Changanasserry Pontifical University of the Holy Cross | ||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Pontifical University of the Holy Cross | ||||||||||||||
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Ordination history | |||||||||||||||
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George Jacob Koovakad (Syriac: ܡܵܪܝ ܓܝܼܘܲܪܓܝܼܣ ܝܲܥܩܘܿܒ݂ ܟܘܼܘܲܟܵܕ) (born 11 August 1973) is an Indian cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church who is prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue since 2025. Since 2020, he has worked in the offices of the Holy See's Secretariat of State in the Journeys Office, which was responsible for organizing Pope Francis' overseas trips, and he has headed that office since 2021. From 2006 to 2020, he served assignments in several countries while working in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
Koovakad received his episcopal consecration on 24 November 2024 and Pope Francis made him a cardinal on 7 December 2024.