Thiruvananthapuram: Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Dr George Panamthundil, a member of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archdiocese, as the Apostolic Nuncio (Vatican ambassador) to Kazakhstan. This decision by the Pope was announced by the Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis here.

As the Vatican envoy Msgr George will have the rank of Archbishop. He is the first priest from the Malankara Catholic Church to be appointed a Nuncio.

Msgr George is a member of the Mary Queen of Peace Basilica parish at Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram. He was working with the Vatican nunciature in Cyprus when the new appointment was announced.

(Nunciature denotes the office or tenure of a nuncio in the Roman Catholic Church.)

His consecration as Bishop will be held on September 9 in Rome.

Msgr Geroge was born to Dr P V George Panamthundil, now retired teacher of Mar Ivanios College, and Marykutty George in 1972 in Thiruvananthapuram. He was ordained a priest in 1998 and served as assistant vicar in various parishes of the major archdiocese from 1998 to 2000.