Archbishop of Hyderabad Anthony Poola, who has been named as one among the new cardinals, is the first Telugu person in the history of the Catholic Church in India to be elevated to rank of cardinal.
Pope Francis said on Sunday he would elevate 21 churchmen, including two from India, to the rank of cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican this summer. The Pope said he would conduct the consistory, as the ceremony to elevate churchmen to cardinal's rank is known, on August 27.
"This is the first time in history that a Telugu Archbishop has been made a cardinal. This title as cardinal is really due to God's grace," Telugu Catholic Bishops' Council Deputy Secretary Joseph Arlagadda told PTI.
"Picking him (Anthony Poola) up for this job is a wonderful thing and a great honour. It's God's grace and his own dedication and commitment to the Church and his service. He has got very deep thoughts about the Church. He works hard and he is committed servant of the Church," Joseph said. Everybody from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are celebrating. It's a great thing, he added.
Sixty-year-old Anthony Poola, a native of Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, was ordained as priest in February 1992 and appointed as Bishop of Kurnool in February 2008. He was appointed as Archbishop of Hyderabad in November 2020. The other Cardinal from India is Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastao di Rosario Ferrao.
(With PTI inputs)
