Pranab Mukherjee releases commemorative coins of Saint Alphonsa
August 23rd, 2009 - 6:57 pm ICT by IANS
Kottayam (Kerala), Aug 23 (IANS) Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday released a set of commemorative coins to mark the birth centenary of the first Indian woman Catholic Saint Alphonsa, who was canonized in Vatican last October.
The function took place at the St Mary’s Church in Bharananganam in Kottayam district, where the tomb of Saint Alphonsa is located.
“Saint Alphonsa taught us to transcend the barriers of language, culture and geography to live together,” said Mukherjee.
The central government in November last year had brought out a postal stamp on Saint Alphonsa.
Alphonsa was born in Kudamaloor, a village near Kottayam, to Joseph and Mary Aug 19, 1910.
Having lost her mother at a very young age, she was brought up by her maternal aunt and educated by an uncle who was a priest. She faced several health problems, which eventually claimed her life July 28, 1946.
On Dec 2, 1953, Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification and Alphonsa was declared a ’servant of god’. On July 9, 1985, she received the title Venerable Sister Alphonsa.
She was beatified Feb 8, 1986, by Pope John II at the Nehru Stadium in Kottayam.
- Postal stamp on Saint Alphonsa released - Nov 16, 2008
- Over 100,000 take part in function for Saint Alphonsa - Nov 09, 2008
- Bells chime in Kerala as devout mark sainthood of Alphonsa - Oct 12, 2008
- Alphonsa was always determined to be nun (Profile of Saint Alphonsa) - Oct 12, 2008
- Kerala town rejoices for native saint-to-be - Oct 11, 2008
- India''s first woman saint cheers Christians - Oct 12, 2008
- Oscar Fernandes to lead team to Sister Alphonsa canonization - Oct 07, 2008
- Indian cardinal in Rome for Alponsa canonisation takes ill - Oct 12, 2008
- Church readies to celebrate first Indian saint's canonisation - Oct 04, 2008
- Indian delegation for Vatican for Sister Alphonsa's canonisation - Oct 09, 2008
- Sister Alphonsa becomes India's first woman saint (Lead) - Oct 12, 2008
- First Indian nun to be canonised in Vatican today - Oct 12, 2008
- Indian delegation for Vatican for Sister Alphonsa's canonisation (Lead) - Oct 09, 2008
- John Paul II beatified (Lead) - May 01, 2011
- Sister Alphonsa is first Indian Catholic nun to be made saint (Second Lead) - Oct 12, 2008
Tags: alphonsa, beatification, cardinal, catholic saint, central government, commemorative coins, finance minister, gervais, health problems, indian woman, joseph and mary, kerala, kottayam, language culture, maternal aunt, nehru stadium, pope john ii, postal stamp, pranab mukherjee, servant of god