|The News Minute| November 20, 2014| 10:26 am ISTTwo Catholics from Kerala, Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia will be recognized as saints in a ceremony in the Vatican on November 23.Chavara and Euprasia, both born in the 19th century, are already recognized as “Blessed” and will be canonized (an act by which the Catholic Church declares a deceased person to be a saint) by Pope Francis in an event which will be witnessed by 5000 people from Kerala.Also Read: “Vatican canonisation ceremony to be witnessed by 5000 Keralite Catholics” http://www.thenewsminute.com/keralas/413 Chavara, popularly known as Chavara Achen, was a social reformer and a farsighted priest. He introduced several reforms in the church which included popularizing his sermons for laymen. Priesthood was bestowed on him in 1829 and he established the first printing press, in his monastery at Mannanam, Kottayam in 1846. He is also credited with starting the concept of a school along with every church. Chavara continued helping the weaker sections of society and built schools for them. He died in 1971 and was buried at the St Philomina’s Church, Koonammavu in Ernakulam. He was declared “Blessed” by Pope John Paul II in 1986. Sainthood is conferred after a miracle occurs during an intercession (the action of saying a prayer on behalf of another) which for Chavara happened in 2005, when a congenital deformity was cured in Maria Rose of Pala. For Sister Euphrasia it occurred in 2006, the same year she was declared “Blessed”, when a seven-year-old boy’s cist was cured.Sister Euphrasia, also known as Evuprasiamma, was born in 1877 at Katoor in the Thrissur district to rich parents. She became a nun in 1898 and in her life and times was known to be a saint around the other nuns. In constant prayer, she led a secluded life and mostly confined herself to the convent chapel in Ollur, Thrissur.She breathed her last at the age of 75 in 1952 and was buried at Ollur. Her tomb later became a pilgrimage centre for the faithful.Clergy and laity from Kerala are expected to make up the 5000 onlookers from the state in the event at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Read more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/two-kerala-born-indi...