India-born Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly has been anointed as the new Bishop in the Diocese of Leicester. Bishop Saju Muthalaly was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul's Cathedral on 25 January.
He succeeds the first-ever Bishop of Loughborough, the Right Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani who became Bishop of Chelmsford earlier last year.
A Downing Street announcement in November said the Queen approved the nomination of Reverend Muthalaly to the Suffragan See of Loughborough. The Bishop of Loughborough is an episcopal title used by the sole suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Leicester in the Province of Canterbury, England.
"The Queen has approved the nomination of The Reverend Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly (known as Saju), Vicar of St Mark's Gillingham, in the Diocese of Rochester, to the Suffragan See of Loughborough, in the Diocese of Leicester, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Gulnar Francis-Dehqani following her translation to the See of Chelmsford," reads the announcement.
According to 'The Church Times', it is understood that he will be the youngest bishop in the Church of England when he is consecrated next year at the age of 42."
Rev Muthalaly, known as Saju, is currrently serving as the Vicar of St. Mark's Gillingham, in the Diocese of Rochester, southern England.
Saju was brought up in the Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala India by his family who are Christians who trace their spiritual and cultural lineage back to St Thomas the Apostle who is said to have taken the Good News of Jesus to the region in the first century AD.
He was educated at the Southern Asia Bible College in Bangalore and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.
He served his title at St Thomas', Lancaster in the Diocese of Blackburn and was ordained Priest in the Church of England in 2009.
"If I have felt anointed in anything, it is in forming friendships, gathering God's people, and creating hospitable and loving spaces in which people can grow in faith, hope, justice and love. I have a deep desire for the flourishing of all people, particularly the poor, those at the margins of our world," Saju was quoted by the paper as saying.
"I grew up in a leprosy hospital in the city of Bangalore, India, where my mother worked as a nurse. From my earliest memory, my heart has bent towards those who live in poverty. Poor people aren't just poor people; they are mothers, artists, gifted leaders, friends, people who are passionate about the environment," he said.
Previously, Saju was appointed Associate Vicar at St Thomas', Kendal and St Catherine's, Crook in the Diocese of Carlisle, north-west England, in 2011.
He served at St Mark's, Gillingham and St Mary's Island in the Diocese of Rochester since 2015, initially as Priest-in-Charge, before being appointed Vicar in 2019.
Bishop Muthalaly with family | Diocese of Leicester
He is married to Katy who has a background in Youth & Community Work and has more recently dedicated her time to raising their four children: Jonah (8), Abraham (9), Zipp (10) and Zeph (12).
"I have always been drawn to enhance the voice of people who have lived experiences of poverty, whether in a parish in the UK, mission visit to the prisons of Eritrea or through the work I do as one of the directors of ATD Fourth World (a human-rights anti-poverty organisation),” the new bishop said.
He loves playing crickwet and is the Captain of Rochester and Canterbury Diocesan Cricket Team. Saju also enjoys running (having just completed his third marathon), playing the guitar and cooking.
As the Suffragan Bishop, Saju will share oversight of the diocese with the Diocesan Bishop, The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, and will support clergy and lay ministers in every Anglican worshipping community across our city and county.
