Media Release
New Delhi, Mar 24: Jerome Dhas Varuvel, Bishop Emeritus of Kuzhithurai, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, March 24, at 1:30 am. He died at the Care Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor on Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai.
He had been hospitalised in recent months following complications arising from dementia and Parkinson’s disease and was undergoing treatment at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday, March 25, at 3:00 pm at the Most Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kuzhithurai in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
A requiem Holy Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 24, at 4:00 pm at the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine. George Antonysamy will be the main celebrant.
Bishop Varuvel was the first bishop of the Diocese of Kuzhithurai, established in 2014. He shepherded the diocese from 2015 until his resignation on 6 June 2020 due to ill health.
Born on October 21, 1951 in Paduvoor in the Diocese of Kottar, Bishop Varuvel began his early education in Nagercoil. He later joined the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1976 and made his perpetual profession on May 24, 1981. He pursued higher studies in Rome, earning degrees in Economics and Theology, along with a Licentiate in Pedagogy from the Pontifical Salesian University.
He held a bachelor’s degree in economics and in theology and obtained a licentiate in pedagogy from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 2, 1985 by Pope John Paul II.
Following his ordination, he served in a wide range of pastoral and academic roles: from 1985 to 1986, he completed his studies at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome; from 1986 to 1990, he served as vice-rector of the Novitiate in Vellakinar; from 1990 to 1992, he was rector of the Pre-Novitiate in Tirupattur; from 1992 to 1994, rector of the Pre-Novitiate in Maiyam; from 1994 to 1996, dean of the Salesian student body in Trichy; from 1996 to 2001, parish priest and rector of the Con-Cathedral of Madras-Mylapore.
He also served as provincial councillor from 1999 to 2003; director of Kalvi Solai in Tirupattur (2001–2002) and Ennore (2002–2003); and director of Mount Don Bosco in Thalavadi from 2003 to 2010. Since 2010, he had been serving as master of Novices in Yelagiri Hills in the diocese of Vellore.
He was appointed bishop of Kuzhithurai on 22 December 2014 and was ordained bishop on February 24, 2015.