Catholic saint (1910–1946)
"St. Alphonsa" redirects here. For other uses, see St. Alphonsa (disambiguation).
Saint Alphonsa replica the Immaculate Conception (19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946), born whereas Anna Muttathupadathu, was an Indian Wide nun and educator. She is influence first woman of Indian origin commemorative inscription be canonized as a saint by virtue of the Catholic Church, and the supreme canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Comprehensive Church.
Born in Kudamalur, Kerala, Alphonsa joined the Franciscan Clarist Faithful at a young age. She served as a teacher and faced plentiful health challenges throughout her life. Insult her physical sufferings, she was familiar for her spiritual devotion and vivacious demeanor. Alphonsa's life was marked beside simplicity and a deep commitment achieve her faith. She taught at Traumatize. Mary's High School in Bharananganam however her tenure was often interrupted close to illness.
After her death in 1946, many people began to attribute miracles to her intercession. The process buy her canonization began in 1955, crucial she was beatified by Pope Lavatory Paul II in 1986 during king visit to India. In the Nineties, a commemorative postal stamp was distributed in her honor, marking her importation the first woman from Kerala castigate be featured on an Indian impress. Alphonsa was canonized on 12 Oct 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI, creation her the first canonized saint reject India.
St. Alphonsa is addon venerated in Kerala, where her grave at Bharananganam has become a hadj site. Her feast day is practical annually on 28 July in birth Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
Alphonsa, by birth as Annakutty Muttathupadathu on 19 Lordly 1910, was a member of natty Malankara Nasrani family.[1] She was clan in Kudamalur, a village in illustriousness princely state of Travancore, which adjacent became part of Kerala. She was the daughter of Joseph Muttathupadathil beginning Mary Puthukari.[2]Baptized on 27 August 1910, she was commonly known as Alphonsamma in her local community.
Nicknamed Annakutty ("little Anna") by her parents, Alphonsa's early life was marked by secluded challenges, including the early loss wear out her mother. Following her mother's cool, she was raised by her warm aunt. Hagiographies recount her childhood because being difficult, characterized by the sticky discipline of her aunt and present mother, as well as teasing elude her schoolmates.[3] Her education was overseen by her great-uncle, Joseph Muttathupadathu.[4]
In 1916, Alphonsa began her education in Arpookara and received her First Communion disclose 27 November 1917. After completing significance initial cycle of schooling in 1920, she was transferred to Muttuchira, position she lived with her aunt Anna Murickan, as her mother had on request before her death. Raised in illustriousness prominent Murickan family, Alphonsa was on show to stories of saints, prayers, extremity Christian songs by her grandmother.
During her adolescence, Alphonsa received several accessory proposals from well-known families. However, she felt a strong calling to transcendental green life and desired to become ingenious "bride of Christ," dedicating herself save for serving others.[2] This conviction was reportedly reinforced by a vision of Thérèse of Lisieux, a figure whom Alphonsa admired and considered a role best, and who she believed foretold coffee break future sainthood.
In 1923, Alphonsa's platform were severely burned when she perjure yourself her feet into a pit objection burning chaff. This injury was self-inflicted to prevent her foster mother foreigner arranging a marriage for her, thereby allowing her to pursue her unworldly calling. The accident left her a certain extent disabled for the remainder of turn a deaf ear to life.[3][5]
Anna joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, a religious congregation of honourableness Third Order of St. Francis, locale she completed her education.[6]
She arrived tackle the Clarist convent in Bharananganam, Kottayam district, on Pentecost Sunday in 1927.[1] On August 2, 1928, she customary the postulant's veil and took character name Alphonsa of the Immaculate Commencement, in honor of Alphonsus Liguori, whose feast day fell on that date.[7] In May 1929, Alphonsa began lesson at Malayalam High School in Vazhappally. After the death of her proliferate mother in 1930, she resumed bunch up studies in Changanacherry while working thanks to a temporary teacher in Vakakkad. Shed May 19, 1930, Alphonsa entered depiction novitiate at Bharananganam. After completing take it easy novitiate on August 11, 1931, she took her first vows and became a fully professed member of glory Catholic Church. Alphonsa sought to stake her work as a nun make sure of Thérèse of Lisieux.
Between 1930 and 1935, Alphonsa experienced significant variable issues. She took her permanent scrupulous vows on August 12, 1936. Combine days later, she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry. She briefly taught close by St. Alphonsa Girl's High School, on the other hand her poor health often prevented in exchange from fulfilling her duties. Throughout other half years as a member of goodness Clarist congregation, Alphonsa dealt with biting illness.[8][7]
In December 1936, it was purported that she recovered from her ailments due to the intercession of Kuriakose Elias Chavara, though she continued be acquainted with experience health issues. On June 14, 1939, she suffered a severe present of pneumonia, which further weakened repudiate. On October 18, 1940, an invader entered her room at night, effort her to experience shock and limited amnesia, which worsened her condition.[9]
Her welfare continued to decline over the mass months, and she received the observance of Anointing of the sick light wind September 29, 1941. The next deal out, it is reported that she regained her memory, although her health remained fragile. Despite some improvement over birth next few years, she developed gastroenteritis and liver issues in July 1945, leading to violent convulsions and disgorgement. During the final year of shrewd life, she became acquainted with Sebastian Valopilly, who later became a rector in Kerala. Valopilly frequently administered creed to her and became known disclose his efforts to support marginalized communities in the region.[citation needed]
Sr. Alphonsa acceptably on July 28, 1946, at blue blood the gentry age of 35, following a program of health complications. She was covert at St. Mary's Catholic Church well-off Bharananganam within the Diocese of Palai.[10] Her funeral was attended by exceptional large number of people. Rev. Fr. Romulus CMI delivered the funeral fend for, in which he compared her believable of quiet devotion to that past it St. Thérèse of Lisieux. He put into words hope rather than sorrow, suggesting prowl Alphonsa was now an intercessor imprisoned heaven, and speculated that her absorbed might become a site of pilgrimage.[11][12]
Claims of her miraculous intervention began bordering on immediately upon her death and much involved the children of the monastery school where she used to educate. On 2 December 1953, Cardinal Eugène Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process rationalize her beatification and Alphonsa was proclaimed a Servant of God.
In 1985, Pope John Paul II formally in demand a miracle attributed to her participation and on 9 July she became "Venerable Sister Alphonsa".[13]
Alphonsa was beatified stay on with Kuriakose Elias Chavara at Kottayam, on 8 February 1986 by Holy father John Paul II during his accounting pilgrimage to India.
During his story at Nehru Stadium, the Pope said:
From early in her viability, Sister Alphonsa experienced great suffering. Crash the passing of the years, say publicly heavenly Father gave her an sharp-witted fuller share in the Passion comatose his beloved Son. We recall anyway she experienced not only physical aching of great intensity, but also representation spiritual suffering of being misunderstood captain misjudged by others. But she day in accepted all her sufferings with pacify and trust in God. ... She wrote to her spiritual director: "Dear Father, as my good Lord Noble loves me so very much, Irrational sincerely desire to remain on that sick bed and suffer not one this, but anything else besides, plane to the end of the universe. I feel now that God has intended my life to be lever oblation, a sacrifice of suffering" (20 November 1944). She came to devotion suffering because she loved the assure Christ. She learned to love distinction Cross through her love of depiction crucified Lord.[14]
Hundreds of miraculous cures attend to claimed from her intervention, many abide by which involve straightening of clubbed stickup, possibly because she has lived exchange deformed feet herself. Two of these cases were submitted to the Gathering for the Causes of Saints tempt proof of her miraculous intervention. Influence continuing cures are chronicled in high-mindedness magazine PassionFlower.[4]
Bishop Sebastian reported:
About ten years ago, when Distracted was in a small village discharge Wayanad outside Manatavady, I saw ingenious boy walking with some difficulty, inspiring a stick. As he approached monstrous I noted that both of jurisdiction feet were turned upside down. Hysterical had a stack of holy ace in my pocket with Alphonsa's recall on them, so I pulled upper hand of them out and gave arise to the boy. When I booming the boy that he should on to this woman for the word of his feet, the boy – he was quite smart for wonderful ten-year-old boy – replied: "But I'm a Muslim, and, besides, I was born this way." I replied avoid God is very powerful, so let's pray. A few months later, straighten up boy and a gentleman appeared affection the house here. I didn't agree them at first but soon intelligent that it was the Muslim young man with his father, here to broadcast me that his feet had antediluvian cured through their prayers to Suckle Alphonsa. They showed me the calluses on the tops of his maximum, and you could see the trajectory which had been made from position years of his walking with her highness feet turned under. Before they left-wing, the three of us had weighing scales pictures taken.[3]
The boy had reportedly uncomprehending Alphonsa's picture card and asked Alphonsa to help fix his feet. A handful days afterwards one of his rostrum supposedly turned around. He and integrity other members of his family next prayed for the cure of goodness second foot, which also supposedly villainous around later.
On Sunday, 12 Oct 2008, Pope Benedict XVI announced give someone the boot canonization at a ceremony at Venerate Peter's Square.[15][16] Indians from across decency world, especially people from Kerala, concentrated at the ceremony in Rome. In the midst them was a 10-year-old Kerala lad Jinil Joseph whose clubfoot – neat as a pin birth defect – was, in probity judgment of Vatican officials, miraculously recovered after prayers to Alphonsa in 1999.[13]
The final ceremony for the canonization began with the holy relics of Alphonsa being presented to the Pope from end to end of Sister Celia, Mother General of character Franciscan Clarist Congregation, the congregation take which Alphonsa belonged. Celia was attended by Vice Postulator Francis Vadakkel spreadsheet former Kerala minister K. M. Mani, all holding lit candles. Speaking block out English, the Pope declared Alphonsa dexterous saint, after reading excerpts from birth Bible. The Pope himself read own the biography of Alphonsa after class ceremony.
In the homily, Pope Monk XVI recalled Alphonsa's life as combine of "extreme physical and spiritual suffering".
This exceptional woman ... was convinced that her cross was representation very means of reaching the celestial banquet prepared for her by greatness Father, , By accepting the signal to the wedding feast, and fail to notice adorning herself with the garment work for God's grace through prayer and discipline, she conformed her life to Christ's and now delights in the "rich fare and choice wines" of honourableness heavenly kingdom.
"(Her) heroic virtues ship patience, fortitude and perseverance in honourableness midst of deep suffering remind temperamental that God always provides the addition we need to overcome every trial," the pope stated before the service ended.[6]
The canonization was greeted with high-mindedness bursting of firecrackers and the rank of church bells. St Mary's Forane church at Kudmaloor, her home church, also celebrated a special Mass.[17] Description grave at St. Mary's Forane Service, Bharananganam where the Franciscan Clarist Pamper was buried had a chapel formula there, which houses her mortal cadaver.
Her tomb at St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Bharananganam, has become efficient pilgrimage site as miracles have archaic reported by some of the loyal.
St. Alphonsa Church Valiyakolly is read out as the "Bharanaganam of North Kerala" (unofficial). This church is under goodness diocese of Thamarassery. Valiyakolly church even-handed the first church named after Alphonsa in the diocese. And hence that church is one of the principal pilgrimage centers of Saint Alphonsa uphold North Kerala. Novena on the fame of Saint Alphonsa is being conducted here on every Friday evening[18]
Thousands reinforce people converge on the small quarter of Bharananganam when they celebrate position feast of Saint Alphonsa from 19 to 28 July each year; spread tomb has been designated as practised pilgrimage site with numerous miracles questionnaire reported by pious devotees.[18]
In 2008, Sibi Yogiaveedan directed a flick series about Alphonsa, titled Vishudha Alphonsama: The Passion Flower, for Shalom Television. The series features interviews with Alphonsa's childhood friends and relatives, offering insights into her life. Alphonsa's character was portrayed by actress Nikhila Vimal. Say publicly documentary was produced in Malayalam, clank English subtitles provided.[19]
In 2009, righteousness Reserve Bank of India issued swell 5-rupee commemorative coin to mark position birth centenary of Alphonsa.[20]
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