Nagpur : Bishop of Amravati, Dr. Elias Gonsalves was installed as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Catholic Church of Nagpur at the Saint Francis de Sales Cathedral compound in Sadar on Sunday. His Eminence, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay Archdiocese officiated the ceremony. The installation ceremony: The Papal Bull (Decree from Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, the world over) in this context, was read out loud in Latin by Rev. Monsignor Patrick Saw Zay Han, the First Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature to India, Giambattista Diquattro in New Delhi. Translated versions of the same were immediately thereafter, read aloud before the congregation of over 4,000 in the Cathedral compound, in English and Hindi as well. The Bull was received by Chancellor to the Archdiocese of Nagpur, Fr. Isaac.
Archbishop designate, Dr. Gonsalves, kneeling before his Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias completed the ‘Profession of his Faith’ and took the ‘Oath of Fidelity’. Immediately thereafter, the new Archbishop was handed over the ‘Crozier’ and the ‘Keys of the Cathedral’ The Crozier is a symbol of bearing the responsibility of being a Shepherd for Christ and the Keys of the Cathedral bear the significance of being a good steward to Christ and the Church. Archbishop Gonsalves was then escorted to the Cathedra, (the official seat of the Archbishop) of the Archdiocese of Nagpur by Cardinal Oswald Gracias.
The near 35 minute installation ceremony concluded around 4.25 pm, with Archbishop Gonsalves being greeted by the 15 other bishops present for the installation ceremony and the concelebrated Holy Mass which continued from then on.
Archbishop Gonsalves hails from Chulne village in Palghar district of Maharashtra. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Pius X Seminary, Mumbai. He has a B.A. degree in History and Economics from Bombay University (1982). He has studied Community Based Development and Leadership at St. Francis Xavier’s University, Coady Institute, Canada.
Other than being the spiritual head of the Catholic Church of Nagpur as Archdiocese head, the Archbishop is also responsible for the running of around 50 educational institutions of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nagpur.
The Archbishop brings to the Archdiocese rich experience of working amidst the youth, and walking that extra mile to bring the kingdom of God on Earth as defined in the Lord’s Prayer. His motto reads: “To reconcile and unite all things in Christ.”
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