St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara
Posted on January 7, 2019 by admin No comments
Born: 10 February 1805 Kainakary, Kuttanad, Travancore, British Raj (now in Alappuzha district, Kerala, India)
Died: 3 January 1871 (aged 65) Koonammavu, Kingdom of Cochin, British Raj (now in Ernakulam, Kerala, India)
Venerated: in Catholic Church
Beatified: 8 February 1986, Kottayam by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: 23 November 2014, Rome by Pope Francis
Major shrine: St. Joseph’s Church, Mannanam, St.Philomena’s Forane Church, Koonammavu
Feast: 3 January (Syro-Malabar Church)
Patronage: Press industry, media, literature, congregations
Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, C.M.I. (10 February 1805 – 3 January 1871) was an Indian Catholic priest and social reformer. He is the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin and belongs to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church based in the state of Kerala. He was the co-founder and first Prior General of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.), and of a similar one for women, the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C.).
Early life
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born on 10 February 1805 at Kainakary, Kerala in a Nasrani Christian family as the son of Iko (Kuriakose) Chavara and Mariam Thoppil. Nasranis are Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syriac Christians) who are the ancient Christians of Kerala baptised by St. Thomas the Apostle in the first century. The name Kuriakose is derived from the Syriac Aramaic name (Quriaqos). He was baptised on 17 February 1805 at St. Joseph’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Chennamkary. On 8 September 1805, St. Chavara was dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary at St. Mary’s Church, Vechoor.[6] The Chavara family has derived from the ancient Nasrani family Meenappally in Kainakary.
In his childhood, Kuriakose attended the village school. 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 a priest on 29 November 1829 and celebrated first Holy Qurbana at St. Andrew’s Catholic Forane Church Arthunkal Alappuzha. His special intention during the first Holy Qurabana was the realization of the religious institute which was being contemplated by Palackal Thomas Malpan, Porukara Thomas Kathanar, Brother Jacob Kaniathara and himself.
Later life
Kuriakose Elias Chavara joined with two other priests, Palackal Thoma Malpan and Porukara Thoma Kathanar to lead a monastic life. The name of the community they founded was Servants of Mary Immaculate. The foundation for the first monastery at Mannanam was laid on 11 May 1831 by Porukara Thomas Kathanar. Palackal Malpan and Porukara Kathanar died in 1841 and 1846 respectively. On 8 December 1855, Kuriakose Elias Chavara and ten other priests took vows in the Carmelite tradition. He was nominated as the Prior General of Mannanam monastery. The congregation became affiliated as a Third Order institute of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. From that point on they used the postnominal initials of T.O.C.D.
Social reformer
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was a social reformer who initiated reforms in the Kerala society much before Narayana Guru(1853) Chattambi Swamikal (1853) and Vakkom Abdul Khadar Maulavi(1854). Though he hailed from a Syriac Christian family, which occupied a higher social status, he played a major role in educating and uplifting people especially of the lower ranks of society.
Education
Kuriakose Chavara started an institution for Sanskrit studies at Mannanam in 1846. A tutor belonging to the Variar community was brought from Thrissur, to teach at this Sanskrit institution. After establishing the Sanskrit institution in Mannanam, Chavara took the initiative to start a school in a nearby village called Arpookara. On this Fr. Parappurath Varkey wrote in the Chronicles of the Mannanam monastery: “While the work on the Mannanam School began, a place on the Arpookara Thuruthumali hill was located to build a Chapel and school for the converts from the Pulaya caste.” Fr. Chavara was the first Indian who not only dared to admit the untouchables to schools but also provided them with Sanskrit education which was forbidden to the lower castes, thereby challenging social bans based on caste, as early as the former part of the 19th century.
It was during this time Bishop Bernadine Baccinelly issued a circular in 1864 which would act as the root cause of tremendous growth of education and hundred percent literacy in Kerala. It was a warning circular which stated, “each parish should establish educational institutions, or else they will be debarred from the communion”. The schools in Kerala are commonly called Pallikudams (school attached to Church (Palli)) because of this circular. Kuriakose Chavara took great interst in implementing the circular. He delegated the members of his Congregation to ensure the implementation of the order in the circular and to actively take up educational activities. Each monastery was to oversee these activities of the parish churches in its neighbourhood.
Midday Meal
Kuriakose Chavara knew that the schools he started in Mannanam and Arpookara would be successful if the poor students especially dalits were given midday meals. It was his original idea. It inspired Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer to recommend this to King for being implemented in all government run schools. This practice is continued even today in government schools in India.
Pidiyari
Kuriakose Chavara a charity practice known as Pidiyari (a handful of rice) to encourage people to make daily small donations to help the needy. The Pidyari scheme supported the Midday meal Kuriakose Chavara popularized in schools The Pidiyari scheme was implemented in the following way: Participants would daily set aside a small quantity of rice in a special collection pot. The rice collected would be brought to Church during the weekends and was used to feed the poor, especially students for midday meal. A pious organization was formed by Kuriakose Chavara called “Unnimishihayude Dharma Sabha” who took care of the Pidiyari collection.
Printing Press
Kuriakose Chavara started St. Joseph’s Press at Mannanam in 1846, which was the third printing press in Kerala and the first press founded by a Malayali without the help of foreigners. From this printing press came the oldest existing Malayalam newspaper in circulation Nasrani Deepika.
Service to the Church
Kuriakose Elias Chavara introduced retreat preaching for the laity for the first time in the Kerala Church. He popularised devotions and piety exercises such as rosary, way of the cross and eucharistic adoration. He was the Vicar General of Syriac Rite Catholics in 1861 in order to counter the influence of Mar Thomas Rochos on Saint Thomas Christians.
Congregations Founded
CMI Congregation
In co-operation with Palackal Thoma Malpan and Thoma Porukara, Kuriakose Elias Chavara founded an Indian religious congregation for men, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. Chavara took religious vows on 8 December 1855 and took the name of Kuriakose Elias of the Holy Family.
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was the Prior General of all the monasteries of the congregation from 1856 till his death in 1871.He was commonly called under the name ‘Common Prior’. The activities of the members of CMI congregation under the leadership of Chavara created huge transformation in the society. This made priests and people to request Chavara to open religious houses in their area. He established seven new monasteries besides Mannanam. They are Koonammavu-1857, Elthurutrh-1858, Plasnal-1858, Vazhakulam-1859, Pulincunnu-1861, Ambazhakad-1868, and Mutholy-1870. In 1864, The Vicar Apostolic transferred St.Chavara to Koonammavu Monastery.
Carmelite Congregation for Women
In 1866, 13 February, Kuriakose Elias Chavara founded the first Carmelite convent for women at Koonamavu under the name ‘Third Order of Carmelites Discalced’ which would later become CMC and CTC Congregation in Syro Malabar Church and Latin Church respectively. While CMC congregation acknowledges and upholds the role of Kuriakose Chavara in their foundation, CTC congregation denies any role for him and considers Mother Eliswa as the foundress.
Kuriakose Chavara hoped and prayed for the establishment of a religious congregation for women in the apostolic Church of St. Thomas. According to Kuriakose Chavara the lack of convents was a ‘pathetic situation,’ which led to deep sorrow within him. He conceived the covent as a house of sanctity where the girls could learn spiritual matters, grow up as good Christians and work for the intellectual development and education of women to achieve social welfare.
Fr. Leopold Beccaro – who was a close associate and confessor of Kuriakose Chavara – with whom Mother Eliswa had communicated her desire to lead a life of chastity, during her meetings with him for confession and spiritual direction, wrote in Italian in his personal diary on 3 January 1871, the day of the demise of Blessed Chavara: “The founder and the first prior of the Tertiaries of the Discalced Carmelites in Malabar, who with extreme fatigue has founded the monastery of the sisters [e fondato con somme fatiche il monastero delle Monache]…” Again, in another important document, a short biography of Blessed Chavara written by Fr. Leopold himself, we come across the following affirmative statements: “Among these, specially, [he] earnestly desired to bring into existence an abode of virtues for the girls of Malayalam and a convent of sisters for learning doctrines and traditions of the Catholic religion as well as to make them grow as good Christian children… It is a fact known to all that even after the starting of the convent, he showed great fervour and interest to conduct everything in order and with virtues…” These two statements made by Fr. Leopold give uncompromising credence to the fact that Blessed Chavara had not only a deep and long-lasting desire to establish a convent for sisters, but had also made every effort, including the spiritual and administrative guidance in the realization of the project.
Death
Kuriakose Elias Chavara died on 3 January 1871, aged 66, at Koonammavu. He was buried in St.Philomena’s Forane Church, Koonammavu His body was later moved to St. Joseph’s Monastery Church in Mannanam. His memorial is celebrated on 3 January as per the Syro-Malabar liturgical calendar.
The following were the last words of Kuriakose Chavara: “Why are you sad? All God’s people must die some day. My hour has come. By the grace of God, I prepared myself for it since long.” Showing a picture of the Holy Family, he continued, “My parents taught me to keep the Holy Family always in my mind and to honour them throughout my life. As I had always the protection of the Holy Family I can tell you with confidence that I have never lost the baptismal grace I received in baptism. I dedicate our little Congregation and each of you to the Holy Family. Always rely on Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Let the Holy Family reign in your hearts. Don’t be sad about my dying. Joyfully submit yourselves to the will of God. God is all powerful and His blessings are countless. God will provide you with a new Prior who will be a source of blessing for the Congregation as well as for you. Hold fast to the constitution, the rules of our elders and that of the Church. Love our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament with all your heart.
Draw the waters of eternal life from that fountain as in the words of the Prophet Elijah. All the members of the congregation, especially elders must be charitable to one another. If you do so, God will be glorified by the congregation and which will be flourished day after day. Your charity will bring salvation to souls.”
Miracles
Scores of miraculous favours were reported by the intercession of Kuriakose Chavara. Sister Alphonsa, who later became the first saint of India, has testified in 1936 that Kuriakose Elias Chavara had appeared to her twice during her illness and relieved her suffering. St. Alphonsa had a holy relic of Kuriakose Elias’ hair which was taken by one of his disciples Varkey Muttathupadathu. It was this relic which served Alphonsa to pray to Kuriakose Chavara and receive miraculous cure. The relic is now preserved in Mannanam.
Beatification
The miracle which Rome approved for the beatification of Kuriakose Chavara was the cure of the congenial deformity of the legs (clubfoot) of Mr. Joseph Mathew Pennaparambil happened in April 1960. Joseph was born club-footed with congenial deformity of both the legs. On hearing that many miracles have happened through the intercession of Kuriakose Chavara, Joseph and his family started praying. They prayed almost a month. One day when Joseph and his sister were walking back from school, she asked him to pray to Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara for the cure of his legs and asked him to recite 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 1 Glory be to the Father. As they walked reciting prayers suddenly Joseph’s leg started shivering. Joseph pressed his right leg to the ground and he could now walk properly with right leg. They continued their prayers and on 30 April 1960, while Joseph and his sister was on the way to elder brother’s house, the left leg too became normal. Since then he could walk normally. Joseph believes that it was the intercession Kuriakose Chavara which resulted in the miracle. Rome approved the miracle which led to the Beatification of Kuriakose Chavara as Blessed in 1984.
Canonization
The miracle which was approved for canonization of Kuriakose Chavara to sainthood was the instantaneous, total and stable cure of the congenital squint (alternating esotropia) in both eyes of Maria Jose Kottarathil, a Catholic girl of age 9 from Pala in Kottayam District of Kerala State in India. Even though Maria was suggested to have surgery by five doctors, Maria and her family decided to pray to Kuriakose Chavara. On 12 October 2007, Maria visited the room and tomb of Kuriakose Chavara at mannanam with her parents. On 16 October 2007, the squint eyes disappeared. The miracle was approved by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints on 18 March 2014 which lead to the canonization.
Chronicle of Canonisation
The official canonization process of Kuriakose Chavara started in 1955, Mar Mathew Kavukattu, arch-bishop of Changanacherry, received instructions from Rome to start diocese-level procedure towards the canonisation. On 7 April 1984, Pope John Paul II approved Kuriakose Elias Chavara’s practice of heroic virtues and declared him Venerable. Kuriakose Elias Chavara was beatified at Kottayam on 8 February 1986 by Pope John Paul II in the course of a papal visit to India.
On 3 April 2014, Pope Francis authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decrees concerning the miracle attributed to Kuriakose Kathanar’s intercession. This confirmed Pope’s approval of Kuriakose Elias Chavara’s canonisation. On 23 November 2014, he was canonised at Saint Peter’s Square by Pope Francis along with Euphrasia Eluvathingal. Pope Francis stated that “Father Kuriakose Elias was a religious, both active and contemplative, who generously gave his life for the Syro-Malabar Church, putting into action the maxim “sanctification of oneself and the salvation of others.”
Prayer to St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara
Loving Jesus, we praise and thank you for the gift of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara to your Church as a model of holy life. Give us the grace to be inspired by his ardent life of faith in order to experience you through prayer and to work for the growth of the Church untiringly, and thus to be committed to you wholeheartedly.
Loving Father, enable us to glorify you by striving for the sanctification of our lives and working for the salvation of all after the inspiring example of St. Chavara who was the patron of families and model of religious and priestly life. Help us to accept with joy the share of your cross through the sufferings of our daily life. May the special intention … for which we now pray be granted to us through the intercession of St. Chavara, our Lord and our God, for ever and ever. Amen. Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be to…
Prayer to St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara for students during exams
Oh God, the fountain of all knowledge, I submit myself completely to your will. Enlighten my intellect, increase my memory and grant me the grace to concentrate in my studies, so that I may glorify You and be a living testimony of Christ. Remove all hindrances, disappointments and fear from my mind and give me the grace to trust You in all circumstances. Bless me to study with confidence and courage and to submit all my talents for the growth of Your Kingdom. Protect and preserve me, my school/college, my teachers, my classmates, my parents, and my siblings.
Oh St. Kuriakose, you knew the importance of education and the role it played in building the Kingdom of God. At a time when education was not popular and people were illiterate, you did your best to educate the public. You were a great teacher filled with wisdom and prudence. St. Kuriakose, intercede for me that I may shine in my studies and be the light that Jesus wants me to be! Amen
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Prayer to St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara for families
Oh God, we thank you for giving us St. Kuriakose as the patron of families. All the glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
St. Kuriakose, Devotee of the Holy Family, pray for us so that peace, love, unity, and prosperity may be preserved in our families. Help us to grow in true faith and have devotion and reverence to God. Grant us the strength to overcome the hardships of life and the grace to thank God in all circumstances.
Teach us to seek only the will of God and always depend on His love. Increase our zeal for building the kingdom of God and instil in us the desire to live for the glory of God. Intercede for the diverse needs of each members of this family. Let vocations to priesthood and religious life arise from our families. We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Novena to St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara
Initial Prayer
Oh God, You who lavishly shower Your mercy and blessings upon us, we thank You for giving us St. Kuriakose as our heavenly patron. We love You wholeheartedly, Oh Lord, and express our sincere gratitude for all the blessings showered upon us through his powerful intercession. Relying on Your infinite mercy, we repent and beg pardon for all our sins. Give us the grace to refrain from sin and graciously accept our humble prayer, which we offer to You through St. Kuriakose, our patron.
Oh God, You protect and guide all those who seek You with a pure heart. We accept St. Kuriakose, who dedicated his whole life to Your service, as our special patron. You granted him the grace to practise extraordinary devotion, faith, love and obedience. He was blessed with the gift of prayer and was rich in Divine knowledge.
We pray that through the intercession of St. Kuriakose, may we be blessed in all the frustrations, disappointments, dangers, diseases, sorrows and hardships that enter our lives.
First Day
St. Kuriakose, you remained holy in the eyes of God throughout your life. May your exemplary life be an inspiration for us to lead a holy life rooted in the will of God. Pray for us that we may cling on to hope amidst miseries of life and glorify God. From early childhood you were keen to grow in holiness. As a result, God enriched you with Divine knowledge and the gift of internal prayer, thereby helping you to lead a life in the same grace that you received in baptism. Oh holy Kuriakose, pray that we, your children may also lead a holy life with a pure heart.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Second Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you taught us to overcome the hardships of life with the power of prayer. Intercede for us that we may receive the grace to trust God in crucial moments such as financial crisis, choosing the right vocation of life and impending job opportunities.
Grant us the grace to be obedient to the will of God and to lead an ideal Christian life built on God’s Word.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Third Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you taught us from your own experience that the Holy Mass is the Divine medicine that nurtures the spiritual atmosphere in families. Pray that we may experience the Divine presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and partake in His sacrifice with more devotion and piety.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Fourth Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you wished that every Christian family should emulate the Holy Family and also gave us the necessary guidelines and life orientation through your literary works. Intercede for us so that peace, prosperity, and unity may nurture in our families and help our children to grow in wisdom and holiness.
Oh St. Kuriakose, patron saint of families, help our families to grow in true Christian Spirit and grant us the grace to be content with what we have. Take care of our personal needs.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Fifth Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you were convinced that the power and nobility of the human mind lies in practising prudence, patience, and mercy. You lived an exemplary life filled with patience and suffering. Intercede for us so that we may obtain the grace to love our enemies and dedicate our lives in service to others’ wellbeing. We take refuge in your patronage.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Sixth Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you remained faithful to our Mother Church and worked incessantly for her growth throughout your life. We seek your help to lead a life under the protective mantle of the Holy Catholic Church. Grant us the grace to be ideal children of the Church and obey all Her commands. May we never be separated from the Holy Catholic Church. Also help us to nurture faith, humility, and patience in order to lead a holy life.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Seventh Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you dedicated your entire life for the salvation of souls and worked incessantly for the Kingdom of God. Pray that we may lead a life of true Christian witness and attract many souls to Christ to build up the Kingdom of God.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Eighth Day
Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, the Redeemer of the world, taught us that “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” St. Kuriakose, you were obedient to the will of God because you understood that it is more pleasing to Him than any sacrifice offered. Pray that we may grow in the virtue of obedience and always be obedient to the teachings of the Holy Church. Also grant us the grace to seek the will of God in everything we do.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Ninth Day
Oh St. Kuriakose, you have taught us that the priests and the religious are called by God to save themselves and for the salvation of many others. Intercede for priests and religious so that they may lead a holy life and inspire others to do the same. Help us to live a life aimed at self-sanctification and salvation of souls. Pray that the number of vocations for the service of the Church may increase and grant us the grace to love our neighbours as ourselves.
We trust in your intercession and ask you to obtain for us this particular favour … (silently present personal petitions) … from our merciful Abba, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be…
Litany
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us, Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
St. Joseph, Guardian of families, Pray for us.
St. Kuriakose, ideal of spiritual life, Pray for us.
Apostle of the holy Eucharist, Pray for us.
Devotee of the Holy Family, Pray for us.
Beloved son of the Mother of Carmel, Pray for us.
Model of obedience, Pray for us.
Symbol of humility and submission, Pray for us.
Example of charity, Pray for us. Lover of enemies, Pray for us.
Refuge of the destitute and oppressed, Pray for us.
Protector of faith, Pray for us.
Fountain of the Holy Spirit, Pray for us.
Faithful servant of the Holy Church, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, oh Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, oh Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away, the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Concluding Prayer
Oh Almighty God, St. Kuriakose lived a holy life in your presence and became your pleasing servant through continuous meditation, prayer and service to the Holy Church. Mercifully look upon us who seek refuge in the patronage of this holy servant of yours.
Oh Lord, we beseech you to cure the sick, console the sorrowful, bless the couples without children, grant students the gift of knowledge, provide shelter to those in economic hardships, preserve the priests and religious in holiness, and establish peace and joy in our families. We pray that You call children from our homes for the service of the Holy Church.
Accept our prayers and bless us through St. Kuriakose, your humble servant and our beloved patron. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.