Bishop Anthony Chirayath was born in Aranattukara, India in 1941 and was ordained priest in 1970, being the first diocesan priest of this Eparchy. He spent most of his life as a priest serving the Universal Church in the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People since 1972. As an official of this Pontifical Council, Mgr Chirayath traveled widely all over the world and represented the Pontifical Council and the Holy See at various International Conferences during the last 35 years. On 2 February 2006 when nominated as Bishop, he was serving as the bureau chief at the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. He succeeded Bishop Joseph Pastor Neelankavil, C.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. He was ordained bishop by the Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil on 25 March 2006 at the Cathedaral Church of the diocese of Sagar.