Arulselvam Rayappan
Arulselvam Rayappan, born on 18 November 1960 in Sathipattu, Tamil Nadu, is an Indian Roman Catholic bishop who serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Salem in the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. He studied philosophy at Arul Anandar College in Karumathur, earned a Master of Canon Law from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, and completed a Doctorate in Canon Law with summa cum laude from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 20 May 1986.
Rayappan was appointed bishop of Salem on 31 May 2021 by Pope Francis, succeeding Bishop Sebastianappan Singaroyan. He was consecrated as a bishop on 4 August 2021 by Archbishop Antony Pappusamy, with Bishops Sebastianappan Singaroyan and Lawrence Pius as co-consecrators, and took possession of the diocese that same day. His motto is "Audire Illum"—meaning "To listen to Him."
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:05 (CET).