Mother Eliswa Vakayil, first nun of Kerala’s Catholic Church, declared Blessed

Mother Eliswa Vakayil, the archetypal nun successful the past of the Catholic Church successful Kerala and the laminitis of the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites (TOCD), was formally declared “Blessed” connected Saturday astatine a solemn ceremonial held astatine the National Marian Pilgrimage Centre, the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadom here.

Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, Malaysia, and papal delegate representing Pope Leo XIV, officially proclaimed Mother Eliswa arsenic Blessed aft Varapuzha Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil formally petitioned for the declaration of beatification of the nun, considered arsenic a trailblazer successful women’s spiritual beingness successful Kerala.

The declaration was made 112 years aft her decease astatine a spiritual ceremonial attended by thousands of devotees, clergy and representatives of antithetic spiritual orders.

Addressing the gathering, Cardinal Sebastian Francis said, “Mother Eliswa teaches that the prime to go a saint volition not beryllium casual but it volition beryllium worthy it successful a satellite faced with motivation disorder and spiritual hunger, sex inequality and familial breakdown, ecclesial divisions and taste upheaval, and each different challenges of family, religion and society”.

Relics installed

Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli conveyed the connection connected the juncture portion Cardinal Oswald Gracias unveiled the devotional representation of Blessed Mother Eliswa. The relics of Mother Eliswa were past installed astatine the altar.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) president Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath released the Novena of Blessed Mother Eliswa, and Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishops Council (KRLCBC) president Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal released the souvenir commemorating the occasion. Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil released a coffee-table publication by presenting the archetypal transcript to Mother Shahila, Superior General of CTC.

Born connected October 15, 1831, astatine Ochanthuruth successful the vicariate of Varapuzha, Eliswa chose the consecrated beingness aft the untimely decease of her hubby successful 1851 which pushed her to a solitary beingness devoted to contemplative prayer. She is remembered for making a decisive publication to the past of the Catholic Church successful Kerala by establishing the region’s archetypal convent school, boarding house, and orphanage for girls. She died connected July 18, 1913, and was laid to remainder astatine St. Joseph’s Convent successful Varapuzha. Her tomb has since go a tract of pilgrimage.

She was declared a Servant of God connected March 6, 2008, and proclaimed Venerable by Pope Francis connected November 8, 2023, successful designation of her virtues and sanctity of life. On April 14, 2025, Pope Francis approved a occurrence attributed to the intercession of Mother Eliswa. Subsequently, Pope Leo declared the day of her Beatification connected November 8, 2025.

For her eventual canonisation arsenic Saint, 1 further occurrence attributed to her intercession has to beryllium duly verified and officially approved by the Holy See.