George Cornelious

Spiritual formation After initial studies leading to sciences, George Cornelious discerned his avocation in the 1990s and chose to become a Priest and then Bishop, T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI, became his Spiritual Confessor and guided his spiritual formation and sent him to the Protestant Regional Theologiate in Secunderabad which had been known for its scholarship in Biblical studies with past faculty of the 1970s that comprised Victor Premasagar, CSI, K. David, CBCNC, Gaddala Solomon, STBC and Suppogu Joseph, STBC.

George Cornelious began his theological studies studying for a Bachelor of Divinity for the period 1990-1993 University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956} with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.

Cornelious studied at the Seminary under Spiritual Formators comprising M. Victor Paul, AELC, Regunta Yesurathnam, CSI, G. T. Abraham, CSI and others. The Old Testament faculty comprised G. Babu Rao, CBCNC and N. V. Luther Paul, AELC. There were also international scholars available at the Seminary from Germany and Canada consisting Klaus Schäfer, Dr. Theol. (Hamburg) and Ray Waldock, Ph. D. (Montreal).

After a three-year study period, George Cornelious was awarded a B. D. in the ensuing convocation of the Senate of Serampore College (University) by then Registrar, D. S. Satyaranjan, IPC.

Ordination and ministry After spiritual formation in Secunderabad, then Bishop, T. B. D. Prakasa Rao, CSI, ordained George Cornelious as Deacon on 16 June 1998 after which he began his ministry in the Krishna Godavari Diocese and after a gap of one year, he was finally ordained as a Priest on 30 November 1999. the Cathedra on attaining extended superannuation, the Diocese was left Sede vacante following which the Church of South India Synod supervised elections to the Diocese and George Cornelious who was in the fray for the bishopric was elected and consecrated on 29 May 2018 at CSI-St. Andrews's Cathedral, Machilipatnam by Moderator Thomas K Oommen, CSI the Principal Consecrator and V. Prasada Rao, CSI, Co-consecrator in the presence of Bishops of the other diocese and a host of clergy comprising Daniel Sadananda, CSI, General Secretary of the Synod.