The story of Sister Alphonsa’s life begins at Kudamaloor and ends at Bharananganam, 30km away.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The story of Sister Alphonsa’s life begins at Kudamaloor and ends at Bharananganam, 30km away. The frail nun rarely left the confines of her convent, which she eagerly joined as a youngster.
Yet, starting today, when Pope Benedict XVI elevates Alphonsa to sainthood, her pictures and icons will be everywhere from Rome to Bharananganam.
The Franciscan Clarist Convent at Bharananganam, a nondescript village, is already abuzz with pilgrims eager to have a glimpse of the room where the nun lived till her death on July 28, 1946. The nearby St Mary’s Forane Church will celebrate a mass every hour from 5:30am on Sunday.
The upcoming pilgrim town has kept its own celebrations on hold till November 9, when many Indian bishops will assemble at the church to celebrate Alphonsa’s sainthood. The who’s who of the Kerala Church, including Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Fr Francis Vadakkel, vice-postulator of the Cause of the Blessed Alphonsa, Sr Ceelia, mother superior of the Franciscan Clarist order, are away at the Vatican to witness the event.
Nearly 2,500 delegates from India are in Vatican City. The state government is represented by public works minister Mons Joseph. Sr Ceelia will hand over the relics of the nun to the pope during the ceremony.
There are plans to convert the house where Alphonsa was born into a convent and a museum. All churches in the state will commemorate the event at Sunday mass and by ringing the bells at 1:30pm when the pope reads out the decree of sainthood in the Vatican.
Syro Malabar Church spokesman Father Paul Thelakkatt said, “The conferment of sainthood on the blessed Alphonsa gives out strong messages. One is that even an insignificant person, who was never known outside her convent during her life, can rise as a role model through a life of righteousness, dedication, and suffering.
“Two, the Catholic Church is breaking the mould of Euro-centrism and embracing Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It’s literally becoming catholic.” Thelakkatt hoped there would be more Third World saints in future. Two Indians — Mother Teresa and Fr Chavara Kuriakose Elias — are candidates. Alphonsa and Kuriakose were beatified by Pope John Paul II during his visit to India in 1986.
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