Raphael Thattil

His Excellency Raphael Thattil
Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful in India, Auxiliary Bishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur and Titular Bishop of Buruni
Auxiliary Bishop Raphael Thattil
Province	Kerala
Diocese	Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur
See	Titular See of Buruni
Orders
Ordination	21 December 1980
Rank	Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful in India, Auxiliary Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1956-04-21)21 April 1956 Thrissur, Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Denomination	Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Residence	Catholic Archbishop’s House, Thrissur
Alma mater	Pontifical Oriental Institute

Raphael Thattil is an East Syrian Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur and the Titular Bishop of Buruni. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Raphael Thattil to the office of the Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful in India residing outside the proper territory of the Major Archiepiscopal Church. He was the first rector of the Mary Matha Major Seminary, Thrissur.

Thattil was born in Thrissur on 21 April 1956. He did his schooling at St Thomas College High School, Thrissur, and joined St Mary’s Minor Seminary, Thope on 4 July 1971. He did his ecclesiastical studies in St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, and he was ordained priest by Mar Joseph Kundukulam on 21 December 1980.

Thattil was first appointed as the Assistant Vicar of Aranattukara and later as Father Prefect of minor seminary. He was then sent to Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome for doing his Bachelor of Theology and Doctor of Canon Law. After coming back from Rome, he was appointed as the Director of Catechism. In 1998 he was appointed as the first Rector of the Mary Matha Major Seminary. On 15 January 2010 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur and Titular Bishop of Buruni.