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{{Short description|Eastern Catholic archbishop in India}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific_prefix = '''[[Mar (title)|Mar]]'''
| name = Joseph Pamplany
| native_name = {{lang|syr|ܡܪ ܝܘܣܦ ܦܡܦܠܢܝ}}
| native_name_lang = syr
| title = {{ubl
| [[Archbishop]] of [[Archeparchy of Tellicherry|Tellicherry]]
| Vicar of Major Archbishop for the [[Archeparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly]]
}}
| image = Pamplany.jpg
| caption =
| church = [[Syro Malabar Church]]
| see = [[Archdiocese of Tellicherry|Tellicherry]]
| elected = 15 January 2022
| appointed =
| term_start = 20 April 2022
| term_end =
| predecessor = {{indented plainlist|
* [[George Njaralakatt]] as Archbishop of Tellicherry
* Antony Kariyil as Vicar of the Major Archbishop for the Archeparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly
}}
| successor =
| other_post = {{indented plainlist|
* Secretary of the Synod of the Syro Malabar Church (2022{{nbnd}}present)
* Chancellor of the Alpha Institute of Theology (Pseudo-university), Thalassery<ref>{{cite web |url=https://alphathalassery.org/about |title=Alpha Institute Thalassery |access-date=2026-02-02 |archive-date=2025-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251207062403/https://www.alphathalassery.org/about |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
| ordination = 30 December 1997
| ordained_by = [[George Valiamattam]]
| consecration = 8 November 2017
| consecrated_by = [[George Njaralakatt]]
| coat_of_arms =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|12|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Charal, [[Kannur]], [[Kerala]], India
| previous_post = {{indented plainlist|
* [[Auxiliary Bishop]] of [[Archeparchy of Tellicherry|Tellicherry]] (2017{{nbnd}}2022)
}}
| module = {{Ordination
| denomination = Catholic
| embed = yes
|ordained deacon by =
|date of diaconal ordination =
|place of diaconal ordination =
|ordained priest by = [[George Valiamattam]]
|date of priestly ordination = 30 December 1997
|place of priestly ordination =
|consecrated by = [[George Njaralakatt]]
|co-consecrators = [[George Valiamattam]], [[Joseph Kallarangatt]]
|date of consecration = 8 November 2017
|place of consecration = St. Joseph's Cathedral in Palissery, Thalassery
|elevated by =
|date of elevation =
|sources =
|bishop 1 = [[Alex Tharamangalam]]
|consecration date 1 = 2022
}}
| motto = {{langnf|la|Non Nisi Te Domine|Nothing Except You, Lord}}
}}
{{Infobox academic
| alma_mater = [[KU Leuven]] (PhD, Biblical Studies)
| thesis_title = Crossing the Abysses: An Exegetical Study of John 20:19-29 in the Light of the Johannine Notion of Discipleship
| thesis_year = 2006
| doctoral_advisor = [[Reimund Bieringer]]
}}
'''Joseph Pamplany''' (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian [[archbishop]] of the [[Syro-Malabar Church]] serving in double role as the Archbishop of [[Archdiocese of Tellicherry|Tellicherry]] since 2022 and as the vicar of the major archbishop for the [[Archeparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly]] since January 2025. [[Pope Francis]] announced his approval of his election by Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church as archbishop on January 15, 2022, replacing [[George Njaralakatt]]. He was also elected the synod's secretary replacing Antony Kariyil. He previously served as the [[Archdiocese of Tellicherry]]'s auxiliary bishop.

== Early life and priesthood ==

=== Childhood and education ===
Pamplany was born on December 11, 1969, in Charal, [[Kannur]], [[Kerala]] to Thomas and Mary Pamplany, as the fifth of seven children. He went to St. Sebastian’s School, Charal and St. Thomas High School, Kilianthara. He then went to Nirmalagiri College, Koothuparamba for a Pre-degree before deciding his vocation as a Priest. In 1988, He joined the St. Joseph's Minor Seminary in Tellicherry to begin his priestly formation and completed it at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, [[Aluva]]. [[George Valiamattam]] ordained him a Priest for the Archdiocese at St. Joseph's Cathedral on December 30, 1997. After a few years as a Priest, He was sent for further studies. In 2001, He obtained a [[Master of Arts]] in Religious Studies from [[KU Leuven|Katholike Universiteit Leuven]] in [[Belgium]]. He continued his education there for a [[Licentiate (degree)|Licentiate]] and [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in Sacred Scripture in 2006. He also holds a P.G Diploma in German, Hebrew and Greek<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archbishop of Thalassery {{!}} Archdiocese of Tellichery |url=https://www.archdioceseoftellicherry.org/bishops/metropolitan_archbishop |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=www.archdioceseoftellicherry.org |archive-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209200711/https://www.archdioceseoftellicherry.org/bishops/metropolitan_archbishop |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pamplany |first=Joseph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oX9dtAEACAAJ |title=Crossing the Abysses: An Exegetical Study of John 20:19-29 in the Light of the Johannine Notion of Discipleship: Volume 4 of Alpha Research Serial |publisher=Alpha Institute |year=2016 |isbn=9788190851404 |location=Thalassery}}</ref>

=== Priestly ministry ===

Pamplany began his Priesthood as the assistant vicar of St. Joseph’s Forane Church, [[Peravoor]] before becoming the vicar of St. Thomas Church, Deepagiri. After he returned from his studies in Belgium, He was appointed by [[George Valiamattam]] as the Archdiocese's Bible Apostolate Director and founded the Alpha Institute of Theology and Science to help form the theological formation of lay people in the archdiocese and was the founder-director.

He also became a professor at various colleges, including teaching sacred scripture in St. Joseph’s Pontifical Institute, Aluva, Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth, St. Peter’s Seminary, Bangalore, and Divine Bible College, Muringoor and also serving as a research guide.

Pamplany has published more than 30 books and has conducted 40 research articles in his career along with 250 articles in Malayalam Newspapers serving on editorial boards of many of academic journals. Pamplany also served as a retreat preacher in India and the various disapora of the Syro Malabar Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Syro Malabar Church |url=https://www.syromalabarchurch.in/bishops/mar-joseph-pamplany |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=www.syromalabarchurch.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-15 |title=Mar Joseph Pamplany Elected as Archbishop of Tellicherry and Mar Peter Kochupurackal as new Bishop of Palghat |url=https://ccbi.in/mar-joseph-pamplany-elected-as-archbishop-of-tellicherry-and-mar-peter-kochupurackal-as-new-bishop-of-palghat/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=CCBI |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250528012523/https://ccbi.in/mar-joseph-pamplany-elected-as-archbishop-of-tellicherry-and-mar-peter-kochupurackal-as-new-bishop-of-palghat/ |archive-date=2025-05-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

He has also served in various bishop conferences as a priest including

* [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India]]: Secretary of the Commission for Doctrine and Secretary of the Commission for Inter Ritual Text Books
* [[Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences]]: Member of the Commission of Theology
* [[Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council]]: Member of the Commission for Doctrine
* [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]: Chair of the Catechesis Textbook Committee

== Episcopal ministry ==

=== Auxiliary bishop ===
On September 1, 2017, [[Pope Francis]] announced his election as the [[auxiliary bishop]] of [[Archeparchy of Tellicherry|Tellicherry]] by the Synod of Bishops for the Syro Malabar Church after the request of [[George Njaralakatt]] to have a Auxiliary Bishop. He was ordained and consecrated a bishop by Njaralakatt, Archbishop of Tellichery in the presence of [[George Valiamattam]], Archbishop Emeritus of Tellicherry and [[Joseph Kallarangatt]], Eparch of Palai at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Thalassery.<ref>{{Cite web |title=From the Eastern Churches |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2022/01/15/220115c.html |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=press.vatican.va}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-09-01 |title=3 more bishops for Syro-Malabar Church |language=en-IN |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/3-more-bishops-for-syro-malabar-church/article19605345.ece |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

When He began his tenure as auxiliary bishop, He became the media commission chairman for the [[Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council]] and the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]. He also serves as the chairman of the Synodal Commission of the Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth which supervises the seminary. He also spoke at the [[2021 International Eucharistic Congress]] in Hungry to a large crowd.<ref>{{Citation |title=Bishop Joseph Pamplany - Eucharist: the source and summit of hope - 09.09.2021 - IEC2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbxh1m3xvnE |access-date=2023-12-09 |language=en |archive-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209200710/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbxh1m3xvnE |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Archbishop ===
In 2022, He was nominated by Cardinal [[George Alencherry]] to become the secretary of the Synod of Bishops replacing Antony Kariyil. In that Synodal Session, He was also elected to become the [[archbishop]] of the [[Archdiocese of Tellicherry]] replacing [[George Njaralakatt]]. He was installed by Major Archbishop George Alencherry on April 20, 2022, at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Thalassery.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-01-16 |title=New Archbishop, Bishop for Syro Malabar Church |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/new-archbishop-bishop-for-syro-malabar-church/articleshow/88924319.cms |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}

{{Syro-Malabar Catholic Church hierarchy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pamplany, Joseph}}
[[Category:Indian Eastern Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Kannur district]]

Joseph Pamplany - Revision history

Republic Bangla at 18:18, 2 February 2026