Mumbai church to celebrate canonisation of Kerala priest

Blessed Cyriac Chavara Church is expected to see more than 3,000 people from November 21 to 23 to celebrate the canonisation of 19th century Kerala priest Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara.

Blessed Cyriac Chavara Church is expected to see more than 3,000 people from November 21 to 23.

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The occasion: To celebrate the canonisation of 19th century Kerala priest Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara, which is scheduled in Rome later this month. The Kandivli (East) church is the only one in the city to be named after him.

This event will be among the biggest to be celebrated by the Catholic Church in India in recent times, said the church authorities.

Chavara and Mother Euphrasia, also from Kerala, will be the third and fourth priests from India to be elevated to sainthood in Rome on November 23, and follows approval of the miracles attributed to them by Pope Francis earlier this year.

The church, in collaboration with the Andheri, Malad and Borivli zones of the Diocese of Kalyan, will hold a Biblical convention for three days at Sai Sports Complex in Kandivli (East) from 5pm to 10pm.

“More than 3,000 faithful, priests and nuns form all over Maharashtra will attend the convention. Food will be distributed on all days, and there will be special prayers and blessing ceremony for children,” said Reverend Father Sinto Chalissery of the 26-year-old Kandivli church.