Kuriakose Elias Chavara
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Blessed
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was the co-founder and first prior-general of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
(CMI) and of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel.
Blessed Kuriakose
Chavara was born on February 10, 1805, at Kainakary
, Kerala
, India
. His parents were Iko (Kuriakose) and Mariam Thoppil. He was baptized on February 17, 1805, at Chennamkary Parish Church in Alappuzha
. He attended the village school under the guidance of a Hindu teacher. There he studied language and elementary sciences. He entered the seminary in 1818 in Pallipuram where Palackal Thoma Malpan
was the Rector. He was ordained on November 29, 1829, at Arthunkal
and first celebrated the Divine Liturgy
at Chennamkary Church.
The congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
(C.M.I.) was started by Palackal Thoma Malpan
, Thomas Porukara and the Blessed Chavara. The foundation for the first monastery at Mannanam was laid on May 11, 1831. Palackal Malpan and Father Thomas Porukara died in 1841 and 1846, respectively.
Blessed Kuriakose of Chavara became Prior General of the Congregation in 1855. He became Vicar-general for the Syro-Malabar Church in 1861. He defended ecclesial unity which was threatened by schism due to the consecration by Thomas Rochos of Nestorian bishops. He worked to renew the faith in the church. He was a man of prayer with a devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary.
He died on January 3, 1871, aged 65, at Koonammavu
of natural causes.
He was beatified, along with Saint Alphonsa on February 8, 1986, by Pope John Paul II
. His memorial is celebrated on January 3.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was the co-founder and first prior-general of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate is an religious order for men in the Syro-Malabar Church. It is the first Catholic religious congregation founded in India. The first monastery of the order was established on 11 May 1831 at Mannanam, Kerala, India...
(CMI) and of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel.
Blessed Kuriakose
Kuriakose
Kuriakose is a common male first name and surname for Indian Christians, mainly from central part of the state of Kerala in India. Derivatives of the name Kuriakose include "Kurian", "Kurien" and "Kuruvilla"....
Chavara was born on February 10, 1805, at Kainakary
Kainakary
Kainakary is a village in Kuttanad Taluk in Allappuzha District of Kerala state, was part of the erstwhile Chembakassery dynasty. It is famous for its unspoiled scenic beauty. Five rivers originating from the Western Ghats, including the sacred River Pamba drain into the Vembanad lake in the tip of...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His parents were Iko (Kuriakose) and Mariam Thoppil. He was baptized on February 17, 1805, at Chennamkary Parish Church in Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
. He attended the village school under the guidance of a Hindu teacher. There he studied language and elementary sciences. He entered the seminary in 1818 in Pallipuram where Palackal Thoma Malpan
Palackal Thoma Malpan
Thoma Malpan - പാലയ്ക്കല് തോമാ മല്പാന് of Pallippuram was a secular priest of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam in the Syro-Malabar Church, the senior among the three founders of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate , and the founder and Rector of the Pallippuram and Mannanam seminaries.Palackal Thoma...
was the Rector. He was ordained on November 29, 1829, at Arthunkal
Arthunkal
Arthunkal is a small seaside village, about 8 kilometre west of Cherthala and 22 kilometre north of the sleepy Alappuzha town, in the Alappuzha district of Kerala state, South India...
and first celebrated the Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
at Chennamkary Church.
The congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate is an religious order for men in the Syro-Malabar Church. It is the first Catholic religious congregation founded in India. The first monastery of the order was established on 11 May 1831 at Mannanam, Kerala, India...
(C.M.I.) was started by Palackal Thoma Malpan
Palackal Thoma Malpan
Thoma Malpan - പാലയ്ക്കല് തോമാ മല്പാന് of Pallippuram was a secular priest of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam in the Syro-Malabar Church, the senior among the three founders of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate , and the founder and Rector of the Pallippuram and Mannanam seminaries.Palackal Thoma...
, Thomas Porukara and the Blessed Chavara. The foundation for the first monastery at Mannanam was laid on May 11, 1831. Palackal Malpan and Father Thomas Porukara died in 1841 and 1846, respectively.
Blessed Kuriakose of Chavara became Prior General of the Congregation in 1855. He became Vicar-general for the Syro-Malabar Church in 1861. He defended ecclesial unity which was threatened by schism due to the consecration by Thomas Rochos of Nestorian bishops. He worked to renew the faith in the church. He was a man of prayer with a devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary.
He died on January 3, 1871, aged 65, at Koonammavu
Koonammavu
Koonammavu is a town located in the Ernakulam district, Kerala, India....
of natural causes.
He was beatified, along with Saint Alphonsa on February 8, 1986, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. His memorial is celebrated on January 3.