Emeritus Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo passed away on Wednesday afternoon (3.45pm) at Constant Lievens Hospital in Mandar near Ranchi because of an ageing-related illness. He was 84.
He was bedridden in the same hospital for the last few months.
Telesphore Placidus Toppo was the first and only Asian tribal to have been raised by Pope John Paul II to the College of Cardinals on October 21, 2003.
A statement issued by Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi, Theodore Mascarenhas, said: “The Ranchi archdiocese, religious and congregation will ever be grateful to him for his immense contribution in the development of the Church of Chotanagpur. The funeral details have not yet been fixed and will be informed later."
Telesphore P. Toppo was born on October 15, 1939, at Jhargaon, a small remote village in the Chainpur parish, in the district of Gumla. Inspired by the lifestyle of the Belgian priests, he joined St. Albert’s Seminary.
He was the Bishop of Dumka (1978-1984) and Archbishop of Ranchi (1985-2018). For two terms he was the president of the Conference of Catholics Bishops of India (2001-2004 and 2011-2013). He was also the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (2004-2008).
