When Pope Francis declares blessed Mariam Thresia a saint at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, Puthenchira, a silent village in Thrissur district, where the blessed was born, will erupt with joy.
The nun belonged to the Syro-Malabar Church was born at Puthenchira on April 26, 1876, as third daughter of Chiramel Mankidiyan Thoma and Thanda. She died at Kuzhikkattussery on June 8, 1926 at the age of 50.
Special prayers will be held on Sunday at Puthenchira and her shrine at Kuzhikkattussery, where her tomb is situated.
Sr. Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan, the founder and first member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family, is among the five new saints of the Catholic Church, who will be raised to the sainthood by the Pope on Sunday.
She was declared venerable on June 28, 1999 and beatified on April 9, 2000.
Born in a rich family, Mariam Thresia gave herself up to penance, fasting and prayers, at a very early age of eight.
She was called a ‘saint’ by her friends right from the childhood.
Mariam Thresia, along with her three friends, led a life of prayers and helped the poor, nursed the sick, gave solace to lonely people in her parish. They eventually established the Congregation of Holy Family in 1914.
Miraculous escape of a baby with life-threatening respiratory problems with her intercession was recognised by a medical team from Vatican on March 22, 2018.
