Bishop of Tanjore
Msgr. Sagayaraj Thamburaj was born on 14 March 1969 in Ayyampatty, in the diocese of Tiruchirappalli. He studied philosophy and theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Poonamalle, Chennai, and was ordained a priest on 17 April 1996. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Madras, a master’s degree from Madurai Kamaraj University, and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Madras. He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest of Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Tiruchirappalli (1996-1997); parish priest in Marianthapuram (1997-2004); secretary of diocesan bodies of the presbyteral Senate (2001-2007), the SC/ST Commission (2004-2009) and the diocesan Synod (2005-2007); director of the Pastoral Centre and coordinator of the diocesan Commissions (2007-2012); parish priest in Manaparai (2012); rector and parish priest of Saint Mary’s Cathedral and visiting professor of the major seminary of Chennai and Tiruchirappalli (2017-2023); and since 2023, professor at Saint Paul’s Seminary in Tiruchirappalli.