CCBI Honours Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli at Farewell Gathering
New Delhi, 23 April 2026 – The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) accorded a warm and fitting farewell to Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, who served from 13 March 2021 to 23 April 2026. The farewell gathering was hosted by the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi on 23 April 2026.
The event was attended by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, President of the CCBI; Archbishop Peter Machado, Vice President of the CCBI; Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi; Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro Malankara Church; Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of Faridabad; Archbishop Raphy Manjaly of Agra; more than 15 bishops from the northern region; and Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI. Ambassadors from various countries and several eminent personalities from Delhi were also present.
In his message, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão gratefully recalled Archbishop Girelli’s dedicated service to the Church in India. He highlighted in a special way his concern for the poor and his sustained efforts to foster unity within the Church and in society.
In his response, Archbishop Girelli expressed sincere gratitude to the Indian hierarchy and Church leaders for their support during his pontifical mission. He noted that his service in India was both challenging and enriching. He described the Church in India as vibrant and beautiful, marked by rich ritual traditions and deep cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity.
As a gesture of appreciation, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão presented a memento to Archbishop Girelli. Archbishop Peter Machado and Archbishop Anil Couto honoured him with a traditional Indian shawl. Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara handed over a letter of gratitude on behalf of the Latin Church in India.
Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli departed India on 24 April 2026 to assume his new pontifical mission in Croatia, a country in Eastern Europe.