Kerala nun Eliswa Vakayil to be declared Blessed in November

Kochi, Sep 9 (PTI) Eliswa Vakayil, the first nun of the Catholic Church in Kerala and founder of the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites (TOCD) for women, is set to be declared Blessed, a sacred title in the Roman Catholic Church order, in a religious ceremony on November 8, Church officials said here on Tuesday.

Pope Leo XIV has given approval for the declaration of the Blessed status of Mother Eliswa, they said.

Pope Francis had previously approved her status as Venerable, recognising her life of holiness and service.

Born in Koonammavu near here, Mother Eliswa established the TOCD for women on February 13, 1866, they said.

She went on to establish Kerala's first school, boarding house, and orphanage for girls, paving the way for women's empowerment in the region.

In 1890, 24 years after the congregation was founded, the TOCD nuns were divided by rite, leading to the creation of two congregations--the Congregation of Teresian Carmelites (CTC) and the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC).

The beatification ceremony will take place at the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady at Vallarpadam at 4.30 pm on November 8, they said.

The Mass will be led by Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of the Diocese of Penang, Malaysia.

India's Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Verapoly Archdiocese Metropolitan Joseph Kalathiparambil, the Superior General of the worldwide Carmelite Order, Miguel Márquez Calle OCD, the Postulator General, Marco Chiesa OCD, and several Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from India and abroad will also take part.

Mother Eliswa, who lived a life of deep faith and service, has been a model of sanctity not only for the Indian Church but for the global Catholic community, the Church said. PTI TGB TGB KH