Chavara Kuriakose, Mother Euphrasia to attain sainthood

Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Mother Euphrasia will be canonised by Pope Francis on November 23 in the Vatican.

The decision on the date of canonisation of the two sainthood candidates from Kerala was taken at a consistory of cardinals in Rome on Thursday, church sources said here.

The Vatican decided to canonise the two after it approved miracles attributed to them early April this year.

Chavara Kuriakose Elias (1805-1871), founder of the order of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), was a social reformer, publisher, and educator.

Mother Euphrasia (1877-1952) was a member of the order of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel, which was founded by Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara.

PTI adds: Celebrating the occasion, prayers were held at churches in Kottayam and Thrissur associated with the two beatified persons to be conferred with the sainthood.

The Vatican had in April this year approved the acts attributed due to intercession of Fr. Chavara and Sr. Euphrasia before completing long-drawn procedures to be followed under the church rule before conferring sainthood. Both of them belonged to the Kerala-based Syro Malabar Church, and were beatified during the tenure of Pope John Paul II.

Fr. Chavara was born at Kainakary near Alappuzha. The CMI, which he founded, runs several educational and charity institutions. He was beatified in 1986. Sr. Euphrasia, who led a pious life of total devotion, hailed from Kattoor near Thrissur.

Sr. Alphonsa of Bharananganam in Kottayam became India’s first home-grown saint of the catholic Church when she was canonised on October 12, 2008.