Orissa Christians hold special prayers for Sister Alphonsa
October 12th, 2008 - 1:09 pm ICT by IANSBhubaneswar, Oct 12 (IANS) Thousands of Christians across Orissa, including those living in relief camps in troubled Kandhamal district, offered special prayers for Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa, who will be canonised in the Vatican City Sunday. “Special prayers were held in all churches in urban areas and district headquarters across the state for Sister Alphonsa’s dedicated service to humanity,” Asit Kumar Mohanty, regional coordinator of Global Council of Indian Christians, told IANS.
People gathered in large numbers at all 56 churches in Bhubaneswar and in over 25 churches in adjoining Cuttack city.
Christians also offered prayers in relief camps in Kandhamal where anti-Christian attacks have claimed at least 36 lives and rendered thousands of Christians homeless in the past one month.
The violence erupted Aug 23 after the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and four others at his ashram in Kandhamal. Maoists have claimed responsibility for the murder, but many Hindu groups hold Christians responsible for it.
Pope Benedict had cleared Sister Alphonsa’s name for canonisation on June 1, 2007, a process that was started 55 years ago. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Kottayam, 40 years after her death.
Alphonsa was born in Kudamaloor, a village near Kottayam, to Joseph and Mary Aug 19, 1910, and after facing several health problems she died July 28, 1946, in Bharnanganam.
She will be the second saint from India to be canonised.
In the 19th century, Saint Gonsalo Garcia, born in Vasai near Mumbai to an Indian mother and Portuguese father in 1556, was declared a saint.
- Indian cardinal in Rome for Alponsa canonisation takes ill - Oct 12, 2008
- Sister Alphonsa becomes India's first woman saint (Lead) - Oct 12, 2008
- Indian delegation for Vatican for Sister Alphonsa's canonisation (Lead) - Oct 09, 2008
- Indian delegation for Vatican for Sister Alphonsa's canonisation - Oct 09, 2008
- Sister Alphonsa is first Indian Catholic nun to be made saint (Second Lead) - Oct 12, 2008
- Pranab Mukherjee releases commemorative coins of Saint Alphonsa - Aug 23, 2009
- Oscar Fernandes to lead team to Sister Alphonsa canonization - Oct 07, 2008
- Church readies to celebrate first Indian saint's canonisation - Oct 04, 2008
- Kerala town rejoices for native saint-to-be - Oct 11, 2008
- Postal stamp on Saint Alphonsa released - Nov 16, 2008
- India''s first woman saint cheers Christians - Oct 12, 2008
- Bells chime in Kerala as devout mark sainthood of Alphonsa - Oct 12, 2008
- First Indian nun to be canonised in Vatican today - Oct 12, 2008
- Alphonsa was always determined to be nun (Profile of Saint Alphonsa) - Oct 12, 2008
- Over 100,000 take part in function for Saint Alphonsa - Nov 09, 2008
Tags: global council, hindu groups, indian christians, indian mother, pope benedict, pope john paul, pope john paul ii, portuguese father, relief camps, vishwa hindu parishad
