Fr Ivan Dias is Arch Bishop of Mumbai

The Pope has appointed Fr Ivan Dias, whose parents are reported to be from Velsao by origin, as the Arch Bishop of Mumbai. He succeeds Cardinal Simon Pimenta.

Born on April 14, 1936, in Bandra, Fr Dias did his schooling at St Stanislaaus High School, Bandra, before he joined Bombay Seminary after completing his SSC at the age of 14.

He was ordinated a priest in 1958, in 1961 he left for Rome to study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, an institution to train future Vatican diplomats.

After completing his studies in 1964, he began his long diplomatic service with his appointment at the Secretariat of State in Rome.

After a years’ service he was posted as Secretary to the Holy See’s Nunciature in Baltic state, Indonesia, and Madagascar, before he was back at the Secretarist as chief of the desk, dealing with East European countries.