MHNNoella384131 at 17:17, 2 February 2026

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{{short description|Indian Latin Catholic archbishop (born 1954)}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = archbishop
| honorific-prefix = The Most Reverend
| name = Anil Joseph Thomas Couto
| honorific-suffix =
| title = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Archbishop of Delhi]]
| alt =
| image = Anil Joseph Thomas Couto.png
| archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Archdiocese of Delhi]]
| diocese =
| see = Delhi
| appointed = 2 December 2012
| term_start = 20 January 2013
| predecessor = [[Vincent M. Concessao]]
| successor =
| other_post = [[Chairman]] of the CBCI Office for Clergy and Religious Dialogue
| ordination = 8 February 1981
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 11 March 2001
| consecrated_by = [[Vincent Michael Concessao]]
| cardinal =
| rank = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|9|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Pomburpa]], [[Goa]], [[Portuguese India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| residence = Archbishop's House 1 Ashok Place, [[New Delhi]] - 110 001
| previous_post = [[Bishop]] of [[Jalandhar]]
| alma_mater = [[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas]]
| coat_of_arms =
| motto = {{unbulleted list|English - "That They May All Be One"|Hindi - "Sab Ke Sab, Ek Ho Jaye"|Punjabi - "SARIYANTE SARE EK HO JAAN"}}
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles |
name=Anil Joseph Thomas Couto |
dipstyle=[[The Most Reverend]] |
offstyle=[[Your Excellency]] |
relstyle=[[Monsignor]] |
deathstyle= |}}

'''Anil Joseph Thomas Couto'''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/archbishop-anil-couto-urges-pm-to-introduce-reservation-for-christian-dalits_1547986.html|title=Archbishop Anil Couto urges PM to introduce reservation for Christian Dalits|date=2015-02-17|work=Zee News|access-date=2017-08-25|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pujyaswamiji.org/dt_galleries/pujya-swamiji-shares-a-loving-moment-with-archbishop-of-delhi-his-grace-anil-joseph-thomas-couto-and-father-dominic-emmanuel/|title=H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji {{!}} Pujya Swamiji with Archbishop of Delhi, His Grace Anil Joseph Thomas Couto and Father Dominic Emmanuel|last=designthemes|website=www.pujyaswamiji.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-25|archive-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825194418/http://www.pujyaswamiji.org/dt_galleries/pujya-swamiji-shares-a-loving-moment-with-archbishop-of-delhi-his-grace-anil-joseph-thomas-couto-and-father-dominic-emmanuel/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/delhi-archbishop-anil-joseph-thomas-couto|title=Delhi Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto|website=dna|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/pm-should-deliver-on-promises-to-minorities-anil-joseph-thomas-couto-115022100750_1.html|title=PM should deliver on promises to minorities: Anil Joseph Thomas Couto|last=Sreedathan|first=G.|date=2015-02-21|work=Business Standard|access-date=2017-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/tag/monsignor-anil-joseph-thomas-couto/|title=Tag: Monsignor Anil Joseph Thomas Couto {{!}} CatholicHerald.co.uk|website=CatholicHerald.co.uk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sacredheartcathedraldelhi.org/|title=Sacred Heart Cathedral Church, New Delhi|website=sacredheartcathedraldelhi.org|access-date=2017-05-09}}</ref> is the serving archbishop of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Archdiocese of Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.icym.net/news/national-news/606-archbishop-anil-joseph-thomas-couto-is-installed-as-archbishop-of-delhi|title=Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto is installed as Archbishop of Delhi - Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM)|last=Administrator|website=www.icym.net|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825190309/http://www.icym.net/news/national-news/606-archbishop-anil-joseph-thomas-couto-is-installed-as-archbishop-of-delhi|archive-date=25 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Early life ==
He was born on 22 September 1954 in [[Pomburpa]], [[Goa]], to Mr. Avito Piedade Jose Couto and Mrs. Ernestina Isabel Lobo e Couto.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rosaryschool.in/our-patron.aspx|title=Our Patron|website=www.rosaryschool.in|access-date=2017-08-25}}</ref> [[Joseph Coutts]], [[Archbishop of Karachi]] and [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]], is his first cousin.<ref>[https://itsgoa.com/goan-origin-archbishop-joseph-coutts-appointed-cardinal-by-pope Goan origin archbishop Joseph Coutts appointed cardinal by Pope]. ''Its Goa''.</ref>

== Education ==
Anil received his primary education at a Government Primary School and thereafter at St. Elizabeth's High School at [[Pomburpa]], [[Goa]]. He did his ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of Our Lady at [[Saligao]] and his [[Philosophical Studies|philosophical studies]] at the [[Rachol Seminary|Patriarchal Seminary]] at [[Rachol]] in [[Goa]]. Completed [[Master of Theology|Master of Theology Degree]] in [[Ecumenism]] at [[Vidyajyoti College of Theology|Vidyajyoti]] and acquired his [[Doctor of Philosophy|Doctorate]] in [[Ecumenism|Ecumenical]] [[Theology]] at [[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas|St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University]] ([[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas|Angelicum]]), [[Rome]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rosaryschool.in/our-patron.aspx|title=Our Patron|website=www.rosaryschool.in|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref>

== Religious journey ==
He was ordained a priest for [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi]] on 8 February 1981. Appointed [[Auxiliary bishop|Auxiliary Bishop]] of Delhi on 17 January 2001, he was ordained bishop on 11 March 2001. He was appointed [[Vicar general|Episcopal Vicar]] by late Archbishop [[Alan Basil de Lastic|Alan de Lastic]] 1999 and appointed [[Auxiliary bishop|Auxiliary Bishop]] of [[Delhi]] & [[Titular bishop|Titular Bishop]] of [[Cenculiana]] on 17 January 2001. His [[Episcopal ordination|Episcopal Ordination]] was held on 11 March 2001. He was transferred as [[Bishop in the Catholic Church|Bishop]] of [[Jalandhar]] on 24 February 2007 and he took charge of it on 15 April 2007. He also served as the [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|Rector]] of the Delhi Archdiocesan Minor Seminary, "Vinay Gurukul", in [[Gurgaon]]. In 1991 he was appointed the Rector of 'Pratiksha', [[Seminary|Major Seminary]], in [[Delhi]].

== Archbishop ==
He was appointed the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Archbishop of Delhi]] on 2 December 2012, replacing [[Vincent Conçessao|Archbishop Vincent Concessao]], who passed the [[Canon law of the Catholic Church|canonical]] [[retirement]] age of 75 the previous year.

He also serves as the [[ecumenism]] chairman of the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India|Conference of the Catholic Bishops' of India]]. He is a member of the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India|Commission for Inter Religious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI)]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archdiocesedelhi.org/Biography.aspx|title=Biography|website=www.archdiocesedelhi.org|access-date=2017-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://synod14.vatican.va/content/sinodo/it/sinodo2014/events/event.dir.html/content/sinodoevents/it/2014/10/15/enginterviewwithaniljosephthomascouto.html|title=(ENG) Interview with +Anil Joseph Thomas Couto|website=Vatican.va|access-date=2017-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426062910/http://synod14.vatican.va/content/sinodo/it/sinodo2014/events/event.dir.html/content/sinodoevents/it/2014/10/15/enginterviewwithaniljosephthomascouto.html|archive-date=26 April 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cbci.in/all-Commissions/Clergy-Religious.aspx|title=Catholic Bishops' Conference of India|website=cbci.in|access-date=2017-04-25}}</ref>

== Controversial political comments ==
Anil Couto, in a letter written to all parish priests and religious institutions in the Delhi archdiocese, has claimed that a "turbulent political atmosphere" in the country posed a threat to India's constitutional principles and secular fabric. Reacting to the development, Government Minister Giriraj Singh said in a tweet, "The church receives an order from Italy whereas pseudo-seculars get their support from Pakistan. The day will soon come when the Hindus understand this and smash both to save India".<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64274669.cms | title=Godmen should stay away from politics: Alphons on Delhi archbishop letter| newspaper=The Economic Times| date=22 May 2018}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of Catholic bishops of India]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commonscat}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Archbishop of Delhi]]
| years = 2012 - present
| before = [[Vincent M. Concessao]]
| after = incumbent
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= India}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Couto, Anil Joseph Thomas}}

[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from North Goa district]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in India]]
[[Category:Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni]]

Anil Joseph Thomas Couto - Revision history

MHNNoella384131 at 17:17, 2 February 2026