Catholic priest, nun from Kerala to be declared saints today

Special prayers and masses are being held across Kerala as a Catholic priest and a nun, hailing from the state, will be declared saints by the Vatican today.

Father Kuriakose Chavara and Sister Euphrasia will be pronounced saints by Pope Francis at a special mass at St Peter's Square.

"This is a great day of glory for the whole world and for us because blessed Chavara and blessed Euphrasia are declared saints. It is the day of glory, gratefulness and in a way a day for great humility," a nun said here.

Sister Euphrasia, who was born in 1877 at Katoor in Thrissur district to a rich family, was known as Rose before she became a nun.

She joined the religious order of Congregation of Mother Carmel and became a nun in 1898 and took the name Euphrasia.

She died at the age of 75 in 1952 and was buried at Ollur. Several miracles were reported from the faithful through the heavenly intercession of Euphrasia.

Father Chavara, on the other hand, is known as a social reformer and visionary priest and was declared as blessed in 1986 along with sister Alphonsa, who has already been declared a saint in 2008.

He was born in 1805 at Kainakari in Alappuzha district. After religious studies, he was ordained as a priest in 1829.

Since then, Chavara had continuous interventions in religious and intellectual realms of life until his death in 1871.