Peter Abir Antonisamy

He was appointed bishop of Sultanpet by Pope Francis on 28 December 2013.^[2] He was consecrated on 16 February 2014 with Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio as principle consecrator. Archbishop Francis Kallarakal and Bishop Thomas Aquinas Lephonse acted as co-consecrators.^[1] His episcopal motto is broken to build.

On 27 January 2021, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Peter Abir as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore upon the resignation of its Archbishop Antony Anandarayar. His office as Apostolic Administrator ceased by the appointment of Bishop Francis Kalist as Archbishop of Pondicherry on 19 March 2022.

After ordination he held the following positions:^[3]

• 1979-1981: Assistant parish to Athipakkam;
• 1981-1983: Studies at St. Peter's Pontifical Institute, Bangalore;
• 1983-1984: Secretary of the Archbishop and Chancellor of the Curia;
• 1984-1986: Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Good Shepherd Seminary, Coimbatore;
• 1986-1987: Priest in Kurumbagaram;
• 1987-1990: Director of the St. Paul's Bible Institute, Poonamelle;
• 1990-1996: Studies in Rome, residing at the Pontifical College of St. Peter the Apostle;
• 1996-2004: Director of the St. Paul's Bible Institute, Poonamelle;
• 2002-2004: Deputy secretary of the Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council;
• 2002-2008: Coordinator for South Asia of the Catholic Biblical Federation;
• 2004-2010: Director of the Tamil Nadu Biblical, Catechetical and Liturgical Centre;
• Since 2010: Director Emmaus Spirituality Centre, Sithanagur, which he founded in 2004.
• Feb 2021 - Apr 2022: Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore