Indian priest appointed judge in Vatican's supreme court

(May 5, 2007) Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday appointed an Indian priest as prelate auditor or judge of the Roman Rota, the Catholic Church’s Supreme court in the Vatican. Msgr. Michael Xavier Leo Arokiaraj from Dindigul diocese of Tamil Nadu, is the first Asian and Indian to be appointed to this post. He was first nominated to the Roman Rota in 1996. Two years later he became an advocate of the Rota. Before his current promotion he was head of the chancery as well as principal of the law college of the Roman Rota. Msgr. Arokiaraj, who holds degrees both in Indian civil law and Canon Law of the Catholic Church, was born in 1958 and ordained priest in 1984. Along with Msgr. Arokiaraj, Spanish priest Alejandro Arellano Cedilo has also been appointed prelate auditor.