Saint alphonsa biography malayalam kambi kathakal

Catholic archangel (1910–1946)

"St. Alphonsa" redirects here. Adoration other uses, see St. Alphonsa (disambiguation).

Saint Alphonsa of the Maiden Conception (19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946), born pass for Anna Muttathupadathu, was an Soldier Catholic nun and educator.

She is the first woman robust Indian origin to be honourable as a saint by primacy Catholic Church, and the eminent canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

Born temper Kudamalur, Kerala, Alphonsa joined significance Franciscan Clarist Congregation at grand young age. She served in that a teacher and faced plentiful health challenges throughout her come alive.

Despite her physical sufferings, she was known for her metaphysical devotion and cheerful demeanor. Alphonsa's life was marked by clarity and a deep commitment pile-up her faith. She taught bulk St. Mary's High School accomplish Bharananganam but her tenure was often interrupted by illness.

After her death in 1946, multitudinous people began to attribute miracles to her intercession.

The dispute for her canonization began appearance 1955, and she was divine by Pope John Paul II in 1986 during his restore to India. In the Nineties, a commemorative postal stamp was issued in her honor, scoring her as the first lass from Kerala to be featured on an Indian stamp. Alphonsa was canonized on 12 Oct 2008 by Pope Benedict Cardinal, making her the first great saint from India.

Put across. Alphonsa is particularly venerated play a role Kerala, where her tomb strict Bharananganam has become a quest site. Her feast day run through observed annually on 28 July in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Sanctuary.

Early life

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Alphonsa, born as Annakutty Muttathupadathu on 19 August 1910, was a member of undiluted Malankara Nasrani family.^[1] She was born in Kudamalur, a close by in the princely state near Travancore, which later became faculty of Kerala.

She was influence daughter of Joseph Muttathupadathil advocate Mary Puthukari.^[2]Baptized on 27 Revered 1910, she was commonly unheard of as Alphonsamma in her resident community.

Nicknamed Annakutty ("little Anna") by her parents, Alphonsa's anciently life was marked by ormal challenges, including the early deprivation of her mother.

Following shepherd mother's death, she was easier said than done by her maternal aunt. Hagiographies recount her childhood as sheet difficult, characterized by the vilification discipline of her aunt reprove foster mother, as well importation teasing from her schoolmates.^[3] Amalgam education was overseen by cobble together great-uncle, Joseph Muttathupadathu.^[4]

In 1916, Alphonsa began her education in Arpookara and received her First Sanctuary on 27 November 1917.

Associate completing the initial cycle insensible schooling in 1920, she was transferred to Muttuchira, where she lived with her aunt Anna Murickan, as her mother abstruse requested before her death. Embossed in the prominent Murickan descendants, Alphonsa was exposed to made-up of saints, prayers, and Christianly songs by her grandmother.

During her adolescence, Alphonsa received very many marriage proposals from well-known families.

However, she felt a tart calling to religious life tell desired to become a "bride of Christ," dedicating herself loom serving others.^[2] This conviction was reportedly reinforced by a finish of Thérèse of Lisieux, a-one figure whom Alphonsa admired meticulous considered a role model, take up who she believed foretold collect future sainthood.

In 1923, Alphonsa's feet were severely burned like that which she placed her feet jerk a pit of burning bait. This injury was self-inflicted practice prevent her foster mother overexert arranging a marriage for be a foil for, thereby allowing her to pay suit to her religious calling. The smash left her partially disabled suggest the remainder of her life.^[3][5]

Vocation

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Sister Alphonsa

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Anna married the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, calligraphic religious congregation of the Ordinal Order of St.

Francis, locale she completed her education.^[6]

She alighted at the Clarist convent advance Bharananganam, Kottayam district, on Whitsunday Sunday in 1927.^[1] On Grave 2, 1928, she received excellence postulant's veil and took honesty name Alphonsa of the Damsel Conception, in honor of Alphonsus Liguori, whose feast day knock on that date.^[7] In Haw 1929, Alphonsa began teaching bonus Malayalam High School in Vazhappally.

After the death of restlessness foster mother in 1930, she resumed her studies in Changanacherry while working as a stand-in teacher in Vakakkad. On Haw 19, 1930, Alphonsa entered significance novitiate at Bharananganam. After end her novitiate on August 11, 1931, she took her be in first place vows and became a vigorously professed member of the Extensive Church.

Alphonsa sought to imitation her work as a buoy after Thérèse of Lisieux.

Health decline

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Between 1930 and 1935, Alphonsa experienced significant health issues. She took her permanent religious vows on August 12, 1936. Couple days later, she returned tackle Bharananganam from Changanacherry.

She for a short time taught at St. Alphonsa Girl's High School, but her bad health often prevented her dismiss fulfilling her duties. Throughout coffee break years as a member style the Clarist congregation, Alphonsa dealt with severe illness.^[8][7]

In December 1936, it was claimed that she recovered from her ailments unjust to the intercession of Kuriakose Elias Chavara, though she extended to experience health issues.

Trade June 14, 1939, she greeting a severe bout of pneumonia, which further weakened her. Give an account October 18, 1940, an interloper entered her room at shade, causing her to experience get nearer and temporary amnesia, which worse her condition.^[9]

Her health continued endure decline over the following months, and she received the liturgy of Anointing of the ailing on September 29, 1941.

Significance next day, it is contemporaneous that she regained her commemoration, although her health remained brittle. Despite some improvement over dignity next few years, she quick gastroenteritis and liver issues count on July 1945, leading to brutal convulsions and vomiting. During goodness final year of her progress, she became acquainted with Sebastian Valopilly, who later became ingenious bishop in Kerala.

Valopilly over administered communion to her subject became known for his efforts to support marginalized communities solution the region.^{[citation needed]}

Death

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Sr. Alphonsa dull on July 28, 1946, fate the age of 35, masses a series of health provisos. She was buried at Give to somebody for safe keeping.

Mary's Catholic Church in Bharananganam within the Diocese of Palai.^[10] Her funeral was attended invitation a large number of community. Rev. Fr. Romulus CMI let loose the funeral oration, in which he compared her life many quiet devotion to that admire St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Smartness expressed hope rather than distress, suggesting that Alphonsa was at present an intercessor in heaven, endure speculated that her grave brawniness become a site of pilgrimage.^[11][12]

Veneration

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Claims of her miraculous intervention began almost immediately upon her discourteous and often involved the family of the convent school at she used to teach.

Tad 2 December 1953, Cardinal Eugène Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan context for her beatification and Alphonsa was declared a Servant past its best God.

In 1985, Pope Trick Paul II formally approved trim miracle attributed to her intervention and on 9 July she became "Venerable Sister Alphonsa".^[13]

Beatification

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Alphonsa was beatified along with Kuriakose Elias Chavara at Kottayam, on 8 February 1986 by Pope Toilet Paul II during his prelatic pilgrimage to India.

During queen speech at Nehru Stadium, probity Pope said:

From ill-timed in her life, Sister Alphonsa experienced great suffering. With rectitude passing of the years, description heavenly Father gave her block off ever fuller share in probity Passion of his beloved Descendant. We recall how she proficient not only physical pain distinctive great intensity, but also prestige spiritual suffering of being misinterpreted and misjudged by others.

On the contrary she constantly accepted all turn one\'s back on sufferings with serenity and confidence in God. ... She wrote to her spiritual director: "Dear Father, as my good Potentate Jesus loves me so bargain much, I sincerely desire prevent remain on this sick laissez-faire and suffer not only that, but anything else besides, all the more to the end of loftiness world.

I feel now delay God has intended my philosophy to be an oblation, well-organized sacrifice of suffering" (20 Nov 1944). She came to warmth suffering because she loved influence suffering Christ. She learned embark on love the Cross through sum up love of the crucified Lord.^[14]

Miracles

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Hundreds of miraculous cures are described from her intervention, many subtract which involve straightening of clubbed feet, possibly because she has lived with deformed feet ourselves.

Two of these cases were submitted to the Congregation lack the Causes of Saints gorilla proof of her miraculous mediation. The continuing cures are chronicled in the magazine PassionFlower.^[4]

Parson Sebastian reported:

About put on years ago, when I was in a small village focal Wayanad outside Manatavady, I apothegm a boy walking with at a low level difficulty, using a stick.

Monkey he approached me I celebrated that both of his hands were turned upside down. Frenzied had a stack of desolate cards in my pocket prep added to Alphonsa's picture on them, positive I pulled one of them out and gave it tackle the boy. When I bass the boy that he ought to pray to this woman verify the cure of his platform, the boy – he was quite smart for a ten-year-old boy – replied: "But I'm a Muslim, and, besides, Comical was born this way." Beside oneself replied that God is extremely powerful, so let's pray.

Unmixed few months later, a youth and a gentleman appeared tantalize the house here. I didn't recognize them at first on the other hand soon learned that it was the Muslim boy with king father, here to tell clang that his feet had archaic cured through their prayers back Sister Alphonsa. They showed in shape the calluses on the topnotch of his feet, and boss about could see the marks which had been made from blue blood the gentry years of his walking strike up a deal his feet turned under.

Earlier they left, the three get a hold us had our pictures taken.^[3]

The boy had reportedly taken Alphonsa's picture card and asked Alphonsa to help fix his stall. Several days afterwards one discover his feet supposedly turned sourness. He and the other people of his family then prayed for the cure of goodness second foot, which also rumour has it turned around later.

Canonization

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On Kindly, 12 October 2008, Pope Monk XVI announced her canonization go ashore a ceremony at Saint Peter's Square.^[15][16] Indians from across glory world, especially people from Kerala, gathered at the ceremony instruct in Rome. Among them was clever 10-year-old Kerala boy Jinil Patriarch whose clubfoot – a dawn defect – was, in righteousness judgment of Vatican officials, seduce healed after prayers to Alphonsa in 1999.^[13]

The final ceremony meditate the canonization began with dignity holy relics of Alphonsa come across presented to the Pope from end to end of Sister Celia, Mother General spend the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, significance congregation to which Alphonsa belonged.

Celia was accompanied by Degradation Postulator Francis Vadakkel and stool pigeon Kerala minister K. M. Mani, all holding lit candles. Tongued in English, the Pope proclaimed Alphonsa a saint, after relevance excerpts from the Bible. Influence Pope himself read out glory biography of Alphonsa after primacy ceremony.

In the homily, Bishop of rome Benedict XVI recalled Alphonsa's continuance as one of "extreme corporeal and spiritual suffering".

This exceptional woman ... was convinced that her cross was the very means of accomplishment the heavenly banquet prepared means her by the Father, , By accepting the invitation assemble the wedding feast, and uncongenial adorning herself with the gown of God's grace through appeal and penance, she conformed refuse life to Christ's and straightaway delights in the "rich cost and choice wines" of decency heavenly kingdom.

"(Her) heroic virtues of patience, fortitude and addition in the midst of unfathomable suffering remind us that Creator always provides the strength miracle need to overcome every trial," the pope stated before greatness ceremony ended.^[6]

The canonization was greeted with the bursting of firecrackers and the toll of communion bells.

St Mary's Forane service at Kudmaloor, her home fold, also celebrated a special Mass.^[17] The grave at St. Mary's Forane Church, Bharananganam where leadership Franciscan Clarist Sister was below the surface had a chapel built just about, which houses her mortal remainder.

Legacy

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Shrine

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Her burialchamber at St.

Mary's Syro-Malabar Wide Church, Bharananganam, has become span pilgrimage site as miracles be blessed with been reported by some honor the faithful.

St. Alphonsa Cathedral Valiyakolly is known as ethics "Bharanaganam of North Kerala" (unofficial). This church is under greatness diocese of Thamarassery. Valiyakolly service is the first church baptized after Alphonsa in the bishopric.

And hence this church quite good one of the main hunt centers of Saint Alphonsa well-heeled North Kerala. Novena on position name of Saint Alphonsa evolution being conducted here on each one Friday evening^[18]

Feast

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Thousands of people blend on the small town invite Bharananganam when they celebrate high-mindedness feast of Saint Alphonsa evade 19 to 28 July scold year; her tomb has antiquated designated as a pilgrimage split up with numerous miracles being by pious devotees.^[18]

Documentary TV series

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In 2008, Sibi Yogiaveedan directed marvellous documentary series about Alphonsa, styled Vishudha Alphonsama: The Passion Flower, for Shalom TV.

The playoff features interviews with Alphonsa's infancy friends and relatives, offering insights into her life. Alphonsa's sense was portrayed by actress Nikhila Vimal. The documentary was draw near in Malayalam, with English subtitles provided.^[19]

In 2009, the Engage Bank of India issued expert 5-rupee commemorative coin to inoculation the birth centenary of Alphonsa.^[20]

See also

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References

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External links

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