His Eminence Telesphore Placidus Toppo |
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Cardinal, Archbishop of Ranchi | |
See | Ranchi |
Appointed | 8 November 1984 |
Installed | 7 August 1985 |
Predecessor | Pius Kerketta SJ |
Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Sacro Cuore di Gesù agonizzante a Vitinia |
Orders | |
Ordination | 3 May 1969 by Franz von Streng |
Consecration | 7 October 1978 by Pius Kerketta |
Created Cardinal | 21 October 2003 |
Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
Personal details | |
Born |
Chainpur, India |
15 October 1939
Nationality | Indian |
Denomination | Roman Catholic Latin Rite |
Previous post |
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Motto | Parare Viam Domini (prepare the way of the lord) – Isaiah 40:3 |
Coat of arms |
Styles of Telesphore Placidus Toppo |
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Reference style | His Eminence |
Spoken style | Your Eminence |
Informal style | Cardinal |
Telesphore Placidus Toppo (born 15 October 1939 in Chainpur, Jharkhand, India) is a Cardinal and Archbishop of Ranchi in the Roman Catholic Church.
Born the 8th of 10 children, Toppo studied at St. Xavier's College, Ranchi and Theology at the Urbanianum, Rome. He was ordained priest on 3 May 1969 by Bishop Franz von Streng.
After a stint at Torpa (Jharkhand), as Headmaster of St Joseph's School and Director of the Lievens Vocational Center, Toppo was consecrated bishop for the diocese of Dumka (7 October 1978) by Archbishop Pius Kerketta, S.J., and soon transferred to Ranchi (Capital city of the Jharkhand state) first as Co-adjutor and then as Archbishop (1985). A polyglot, Toppo speaks Oraon, Hindi, Sadri, English and Italian.
Toppo was made Cardinal-Priest by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003, given the titular church of Sacro Cuore di Gesù agonizzante a Vitinia. He was elector at the 2005 papal conclave that elected Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.