Kerala: Mass held to celebrate canonisation of Mother Mariam Thresia

A mass was held on Sunday at St Joseph's Cathedral Church here to celebrate the canonisation of Mother Mariam Thresia, who hails from Kerala.

Pope Francis will declare Mariam Thresia, who founded the Congregation of Sisters of the Holy Family, a saint today at a ceremony St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

"Mother Mariam Thresia is going to become a saint. She got a real gift from God. As Keralites, we are very proud that she did good for the catholic church and became a saint," Father Manu, Assistant Vicar, St Joseph's Cathedral Church, Thiruvananthapuram said.

"We can be inspired by her and in our day-to-day life should follow her ideals. As Jesus said, we should strive for saintly actions in our lives," he added.

Meanwhile, in Thrissur people gathered at the shrine of Mother Mariam Thresia at Kuzhikkattussery to offer prayers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lauded her contributions during his latest 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme.

Born in 1876, Mother Thresia's sainthood process began in 1978 when Pope John Paul II had beatified her in 2000.