Home » Pope Francis taps travel agent Cardinal Koovakad to lead Interreligious Dialogue dicastery

Pope Francis taps travel agent Cardinal Koovakad to lead Interreligious Dialogue dicastery

Indian Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad of the Syro-Malabar Church, official of the Secretariat of State and organizer of papal trips, was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during the consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Jan 24, 2025 / 07:10 am (CNA).

PopeFrancishasappointedhispersonaltravelagentandnewcardinal,GeorgeJacobKoovakad,toleadtheDicasteryforInterreligiousDialogue,followingthedeathlastyearofCardinalMiguelÁngelAyusoGuixot. Ayuso,aSpanish-bornprelateandrespectedexpertinIslam,diedonNov.25,2024,afteralongillness.Hewas72. The51-year-oldKoovakad,originallyfromthesouthernIndianstateofKerala,waselevatedtotheCollegeofCardinalsbyPopeFrancisinDecember. Sincelate2021,theVaticandiplomathasbeenthecoordinatorforpapaltravels,workinginthesectionforgeneralaffairsoftheSecretariatofStatetoarrangeFrancis’trips.Healsohasadoctorateincanonlaw.  Koovakad,whowasinthediplomaticserviceoftheHolySeefor14years,ispartoftheSyro-MalabarChurch,oneoftheCatholicfaith’sEastern-riteChurches.Hewasthefi