So far this month, I have focused primarily on European Saints. Lest we forget that we are Catholic - and therefore universal - let us move on to another continent. In honor of our Diocesan Bishop, who is of Indian heritage, we will visit the sub-continent of India.
Kuriakose attended the village school as a child and then entered seminary. He was ordained in 1829 and celebrated his first Holy Qurbana (the Eastern Syriac Eucharistic Liturgy) at St. Andrew's Catholic Forane Church. He joined with two other priests in leading a monastic life, calling their community Servants of Mary Immaculate. On December 8, 1855, he and ten other priests took vows in the Carmelite tradition.
Although Kuriakose was from a Syriac Christian family, which occupied a higher social status, he played a major role in educating and uplifting people of the lower ranks of society. He started several schools and was the first Indian who not only dared to admit the untouchables to schools but also provided them with Sanskrit education which was forbidden to the lower castes. He was also instrumental in encouraging Bishop Bernadine Baccinelly to issue a circular in 1856 which stated, "each parish should establish educational institutions, or else they will be debarred from the communion." This circular would act as the impetus for tremendous growth of education and 100% literacy in Kerala, India.
Kuriakose's last words were, "Why are you sad? All God's people must die some day. My hour has come. By the grace of God, I prepared myself for it since long." His feast day is celebrated on February 18 in the Latin Rite and on January 3 in the Syro-Malabar Rite.
St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Pray for us.
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