Mar Jacob Angadiath, Bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, was born on October 26, 1945 at Periappuram in Elanji Panchayat of Ernakulam District, in the State of Kerala, India. His parents were Ulahannan and Mariam Angadiath.
It was on March 13, 2001, the first Syro-Malabar Diocese outside India, namely, St. Thomas Syro-MalabarCatholic Diocese of Chicago was established and he was appointed the first Bishop of this newly formed diocese, by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. His Episcopal ordination took place in Chicago on July 1, 2001, during the Second Syro-Malabar Convention. His Beatitude Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil was the main celebrant of the Consecration ceremony; Mar Joseph Pallickaparaupil, Bishop of Palai, and Mar KuriakoseKunnacherry, Bishop of Kottayam, were the co-consecrators. His Eminence Francis Cardinal George was the homilist during the Holy Qurbana. Mar Jacob Angadiath’s diocese is extended all through the USA and he is the Permanent Apostolic Visitator to Canada.