 On 21 March 2005 the congregation for the oriental churches issued a letter of no-objection to the decision of the Bishop’s synod.Accordingly, on 9 May 2005 the Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil issued the decree "The Eparchy of Kottayam" elevating the Eparchy of Kottayam to the rank of a metropolitan see, and another decree "God our loving father", appointing Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry as the first metropolitan of the newly erected metropolitan see of Kottayam.On 3 June 2005, the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, at a liturgical service the Major Archbishop canonically erected the metropolitan see of Kottayam and ordained and enthroned Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry as the first Metropolitan of Kottayam.