Mumbai: Archbishop of Emeritus of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Odisha His Grace Raphael Cheenath SVD expired on August 14.

His funeral was held on Wednesday August 17 at 3.00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Mahakali Caves Road, Andheri-East, Mumbai.

The mass was celebrated by Archbishop of Mumbai Most Rev. Oswal Cardinal Gracias and many bishops and priests, religious brothers and sisters were present  who prayed for his eternal soul.

Raphael Cheenath was born on December 29, 1934 to Francis and Theresa Cheenath at Manalur, Trichur, Kerala.

The archdiocese Cuttack-Bhubaneswar covered Kandhamal district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha that witnessed an anti-Christian violence in 2008. Archbishop provided support to the people during the violence. After his school education, he joined the Society of Divine Word (SVD) and was ordained priest in 1963. He became the Bishop of Sambalpur in 1974. He was appointed as the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in 1985. In 2011, he retired from the Office of the Archbishop.