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 on Sunday.
With their canonisation, as the finale of the long-drawn stage-by-stage process is known in Catholic parlance, the centuries-old Syro Malabar Church will have three Saints, the first being Sister Alphonsa, raised to the revered rank in 2008.
According to Church sources, the Pope will declare Chavara 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.
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