The Vatican will be the central point of attraction for the Christian community, especially Catholics, on Sunday in connection with the canonisation of Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluvanthinkal at a special mass to be conducted by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square.
For the Syro-Malabar Church, it will be a prestigious day because the church would now have three of its own saints, the first being Sister Alphonsa who was canonised in 2008.
A large number of devotees, two cardinals, priests, and nuns from Kerala have already left for Vatican to witness the event. Special prayers will be held in Catholic churches across the State to mark the occasion.
The official Indian delegation, led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, left for the Vatican to attend the function.
On Saturday, special programmes were held at Mannanam in Kottayam and Ollur in Thrissur, the two places closely associated with Fr. Chavara and Sr. Euphrasia respectively.
Religious fervourThe two places are in the grip of religious fervour ever since the decision to canonise the two was announced.
Founder and first head of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, the first congregation for men of the Syro-Malabar Church, Fr. Chavara (1805-1871) is considered as a social reformer because of his thrust on education not only of the Catholics but also of other communities, including the depressed class.
The process of Fr. Chavara’s canonisation began long back and he was declared a Venerable in 1984 and beatified in 1986 during the reign of Pope John Paul II, who visited Kerala that year.
Sister Euphrasia was a spiritual person who chose to live in the confines of a convent in Thrissur helping the people who came seeking her support.
Servant of GodSr. Euphrasia 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.
