Kerala nun to be declared a 'saint' by Pope Francis on October 13

Pope Francis. Pic/AFP

On Thursday, Pope Francis said that he will declare Mariam Thresia Chiramel, an Indian nun from Kerala 'a saint' on October 13 this year. The canonisation of the Kerala nun will be held at St. Peters square of the Vatican City in Rome.

Mariam Thresia Chiramel was the founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family. Pope Francis formally approved the canonisation of Mariam Thresia, foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Family, at an ordinary public consistory of cardinals on causes of canonisation at the Vatican on July 1.

Pope Francis also announced that the nun from Kerala will be canonised during a mass along with others, including John Henry Newman from England, Italian Josephine Vannini, Swiss Marguerite Bays and Brazilian Irm Dulce Pontes.

Kerala nun, Mariam Thresia belongs to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and was born in the village of Puthenchira in Thrissur district on April 26, 1876. The nun passed away on June 8, 1926, in Kuzhikkattussery village.

Late Pope St John Paul II had declared the Kerala nun as venerable on June 28, 1999, and she was beatified on April 9, 2000. Thresia was professed in 1914.

At the time of her death, there were 55 Sisters in the congregation, 30 boarders and 10 orphans under her care. Earlier, the Vatican had declared three Kerala-born Indian Catholics as Saints. Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia were canonised as saints by Pope Francis in 2014, and sister Alphonsa was declared a saint in 2008.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates