There's been lots of news recently over Sr. Alphonsa - a Catholic nun from Bharananganam, in Kottayam district, Kerala being proclaimed a Saint on Oct 12th 2008. She will now be known as St Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception. This is newsworthy since she is the second saint from India and the first woman.
Many would have expected Mother Teresa to be the first woman from India - but things dont move so fast in the Vatican - St Alphonsa has been canonized 62 years after her death.
I was watching the news on Sunday - CNNIBN I think it was - an over-excited reporter outside Mahim church had found a Kerala-ite lady who "had actually been to the church of St Alphonsa" and was asked in true AajTak style - "How do you feel about it?" "Kaise mehsoos ho raha hai"types.
As over-the-top as that was - it truly hit me then how proud a moment it was for people like myself and my family - those who have a small (and I mean really small) association with this saint, the town and the church. Bharananganam is a town 4 kms away from my mom's native place of Edamattom in Kottayam district, Kerala. My mom has in fact studied in the same convent school attached to this church - and when she was a student, there was the buzz around the church and convent - that of Sr Alphonsa - the recently passed away nun who led a simple and pious life. She was a model for all other girls to follow and this was part of the school's christian studies too.
Sr Alphonsa was beatified by Pope John Paul II on his India visit in 1986. [Beatification is the penultimate step in the process of sainthood]. This led to the mass following there is now - the hope that she will be declared a saint one day - and that she will intercede and miracles can happen. Throughout my childhood, we used to regularly visit the church on each visit to Kerala. This has continued till today - and is one of the things we do without fail.
I think the difference now that she has become a Saint - means Christians from all over India and even abroad will now make this a pilgrimage place. Similar to St Francis Xaviers church in Goa and Vailankanni in Tamil Nadu. So the roads have been widened, the town painted. On my last visit, the church had been restored and the gardens had been replanted completely. The church becomes a pilgrimage centre and the town prospers too. Since this is in Kottayam, a visit to the church might soon be added on tour itineraries along with the Kumarakom lake and houseboat rides.
I do hope things remain as they were - small and simple. Not turning into the commercial circus most religious places become.
Well time will tell.
Many would have expected Mother Teresa to be the first woman from India - but things dont move so fast in the Vatican - St Alphonsa has been canonized 62 years after her death.
I was watching the news on Sunday - CNNIBN I think it was - an over-excited reporter outside Mahim church had found a Kerala-ite lady who "had actually been to the church of St Alphonsa" and was asked in true AajTak style - "How do you feel about it?" "Kaise mehsoos ho raha hai"types.
As over-the-top as that was - it truly hit me then how proud a moment it was for people like myself and my family - those who have a small (and I mean really small) association with this saint, the town and the church. Bharananganam is a town 4 kms away from my mom's native place of Edamattom in Kottayam district, Kerala. My mom has in fact studied in the same convent school attached to this church - and when she was a student, there was the buzz around the church and convent - that of Sr Alphonsa - the recently passed away nun who led a simple and pious life. She was a model for all other girls to follow and this was part of the school's christian studies too.
Sr Alphonsa was beatified by Pope John Paul II on his India visit in 1986. [Beatification is the penultimate step in the process of sainthood]. This led to the mass following there is now - the hope that she will be declared a saint one day - and that she will intercede and miracles can happen. Throughout my childhood, we used to regularly visit the church on each visit to Kerala. This has continued till today - and is one of the things we do without fail.
I think the difference now that she has become a Saint - means Christians from all over India and even abroad will now make this a pilgrimage place. Similar to St Francis Xaviers church in Goa and Vailankanni in Tamil Nadu. So the roads have been widened, the town painted. On my last visit, the church had been restored and the gardens had been replanted completely. The church becomes a pilgrimage centre and the town prospers too. Since this is in Kottayam, a visit to the church might soon be added on tour itineraries along with the Kumarakom lake and houseboat rides.
I do hope things remain as they were - small and simple. Not turning into the commercial circus most religious places become.
Well time will tell.
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