Delhi gets new Archbishop

Bishop Anil Jose Tomas Couto of Jalandhar will be the new Archbishop of Delhi; HT reports.

Bishop Anil Jose Tomas Couto of Jalandhar will be the new Archbishop of Delhi.

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The announcement was made simultaneously in Rome and at the Archdiocesan headquarters in Delhi at 4.30pm on Friday.

The announcement came after by Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao. He had submitted his resignation when he turned 75 on September 2010, mandatory for every archbishop or bishop.

"I will continue to work with the vision of Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao, which was more clearly outlined in the Archdiocesan Synod in 2002, taking into consideration the current situation of social, religious, economic and other realities around us," said Archbishop elect Rt. Rev. Anil Couto.

Rt. Rev. Couto is not new to Delhi. He was originally a priest belonging to the Archdiocese of Delhi.

Though he hails from Goa, Couto was ordained a priest in 1981 after completing his theological studies at Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. In 1994, he was sent to Rome to pursue doctoral studies in ecumenical theology.

"We are very happy to have our own from the diocese back to the Archdiocese. Since he knows the situation, he would be the most ideal person to render the best possible services to the Archdiocese", said the incumbent Archbishop Concessao.

The Archbishop elect is expected to take over January 20, 2013.