Pope Francis to confer
sainthood on two Blessed
from Kerala tomorrow
from Kerala tomorrow
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In
a jubilant moment for the Christian community in India, two beatified
candidates from Kerala Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia will be
conferred sainthood by Pope Francis at Vatican tomorrow.
With their
canonisation, as the finale of the long-drawn stage-by-stage process is known
in Catholic parlance, thecenturies-old Syro Malabar Church will have three
Saints, thefirst being Sister Alphonsa, raised to the revered rank in 2008.
According to Church
sources here, the Pope will declareChavara and Euphrasia as Saints during a
special mass at St Peter's Square at Vatican on Sunday.
A large number of
devotees, two Cardinals and clergy and nuns from Kerala have already left for
Vatican to witness the event. Special prayers will also be held in Catholic
churches across the state to mark the occasion.
Two places closely
associated to the lives of Chavara and Euprhasia at Mannman in Kottayam and
Ollur in Thrissur respectively have already been in the grip of spiritual
fervour for the last several days.
Founder of the
congregation Carmalites of Mary Immaculate, Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara
(1805-1871) was more than a spiritual leader of Syro Malabar Catholic
community, that traces its roots to the legendary visit of Saint Thomas the
Apostle to the Kerala coast to preach Gospel in India.
Historians and church
chroniclers consider him as a social reformer who gave a thrust to secular
education of not only Catholics but also to other communities, especially the
depressed classes.
The Canonisation
procedures in his case began long backand was declared a Venerable in 1984 and
beatified in 1986 during the reign of Pope John Paul II, who visited Kerala
that year.
Sister Euprhasia was a
spiritual person who chose to live in the confines of a convent in Thrissur helping
the people who came seeking her support.
"Euprasiamma"
to the members of the local community around her convent, she brought spiritual
solace to the people who approached her through prayers and wise counsel.
Euphrasia, who died in
1952, was declared Servant of God in 1987 and beatified in 2006 after the
approval of a miracle attributed through her intercession by the Vatican panel
set up to consider her case for Sainthood.
Apart from the church
delegation, an official delegation from India led by P J Kurien, Deputy Chairman
of Rajya Sabha, will be attending the Canonisation in Vatican.
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