John Nellikunnel

Mar John Nellikunnel
Eparch of Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Idukki
Church	Syro-Malabar Church
Appointed	12 January 2018
Installed	5 April 2018
Predecessor	Mathew Anikuzhikattil
Orders
Ordination	30 December 1998 by George Punnakottil
Consecration	5 April 2018 by George Alencherry
Personal details
Born	John Nellikunnel (1973-03-22) 22 March 1973 Kadaplamattom, Kerala, India
Denomination	Syro Malabar

John Nellikunnel (born 22 March 1973) is an Indian bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church who serves as the Eparch of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Idukki since his installation in 2018.

Biography

John Nellikunnel was born on 22 March 1973 in Kadaplamattom, Kerala to Varkey and Mary Nellikunnel. He has one sister who is a nun, and two brothers. One of his brothers Mathew Nellikunnel was appointed Eparch of the Eparchy of Gorakhpur, making history as the first two brothers to serve together in the Syro-Malabar Synod of Bishops. Nellikunnel went to St. Mary’s High School, Mariapuram before in 1988 when he began his priestly formation at the Minor Seminary of the Eparchy of Kothamangalam. He attended the St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor for the philosophical and theological studies. He was then ordained as a Priest by George Punnakottil on 30 December 1998. He served in various assistant pastor roles in the Eparchy before going back for studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome for a Licentiate in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He then came back to India for Pastoral duties until in 2010 when he was appointed the Eparchial Chancellor and Secretary to the Bishop by Mathew Anikuzhikattil. Along with these duties he was the Head of the Catechetical Department and Bible Apostolate along with being a resident staff at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha where he served as the Seminary Procurator. In 2015, He was appointed the Seminary's dean.

In 2018, he was appointed to succeed Mathew Anikuzhikattil as the Eparch of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Idukki. He was ordained by Cardinal George Alencherry on 5 April 2018.