Kalas Explores's video: Living God 1st Indian Saint Story of Saint Alphonsa A Documentary on the Life of Saint Alphonsa

Address St. Alphonsa Shrine Church & Pilgrim Centre PP3G+5F3, kottayam, Bharananganam, Kerala 686578 Link https://g.co/kgs/kLL2JE Timing 4.30am to 12.30 pm Early life Edit Alphonsa was born as Anna Muttathupadathu in a Malankara Nasrani family to Joseph Muttathupadathil and Mary Puthukari in Kudamalloor, near Kottayam, on 19 August 1910. She was baptised on 27 August. Alphonsamma, as she was locally known, was born in Arpookara, a village in the princely state of Travancore, what would become Kerala state. The village lies within the Archdiocese or the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery. Her parents nicknamed her Annakutty (little Anna). She had a difficult childhood characterised by the loss of a parent and growing up with clubbed feet. Her mother died early, so her maternal aunt helped to raise her. Hagiographies describe her early life as one of hardships at the hands of her stern aunt and foster mother and one of teasing by schoolmates. Anna was educated by her great-uncle, Joseph Muttathupadathu. When Anna was three-years-old, she contracted eczema and suffered for over a year. In 1916, Anna started school in Arpookara. She received her First Communion on 27 November 1917. When the first school cycle ended in 1920, the time had come to transfer to Muttuchira, to the house of her aunt Anna Murickan, to whom her mother had entrusted get, before she died. She was raised in the Murickan family, which was an age-old and prominent family in the area. As a child her grandmother would tell her stories of saints, teach prayers & Christian songs. As an adolescent Anna received many marriage proposals from reputed families. However, she had a feeling in her mind that she wants to be a bride of Christ and do good things for people. In these years, Thérèse of Lisieux appeared and told her that she will one day become a saint. There are many similarities in the lives of Anna and Thérèse, and she was Anna's all-time favorite patron saint and role model. Anna sacrificed her material fortune and wanted to dedicate her life to Jesus Christ. In 1923, Anna's feet were burnt when she fell into a pit of burning chaff, local hagiographies describe this as a self-inflicted injury in order to avoid her foster mother's attempt to arrange a marriage for her and thereby to fulfill her desire for becoming a religious sister instead. This accident left her partially disabled for the rest of her life. When it became possible, Anna joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, a religious congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis, and through them, completed her schooling. Anna arrived at the Clarist convent at Bharananganam, Kottayam district, on Pentecost Sunday 1927. She received the postulant's veil on 2 August 1928 and took the name Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception in honor of Alphonsus Liguori, whose feast day it was. In May 1929 Alphonsa was assigned to teach at Malayalam High School at Vazhappally. Her foster mother died in 1930. She resumed her studies at Changanacherry, while working as a temporary teacher at a school at Vakakkad. On 19 May 1930 Alphonsa entered the novitiate of the congregation at Bharananganam. On 11 August 1931 she completed the novitiate and took her first vows. And became a religious in the Catholic Church. Health decline The period 1930–1935 was characterised by grave illness. Alphonsa took her permanent vows on 12 August 1936. Two days later she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry. She then taught high school at St. Alphonsa Girl's High School, but was often sick and unable to teach. For most of her years as a Clarist sister she endured serious illness. In December 1936, it is claimed that she was cured from her ailments through the intervention of the Kuriakose Elias Chavara (who was beatified at the same ceremony as she), but on 14 June 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of pneumonia which left her weakened. On 18 October 1940, a thief entered her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia and weakened her again. Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She received extreme unction on 29 September 1941. The next day it is believed that she regained her memory, though not complete health. Her health improved over the next few years, until in July 1945 she developed gastroenteritis and liver problems that caused violent convulsions and vomiting. During the last year of her life she came to know Sebastian Valopilly (later Bishop of Kerala) who frequently brought her communion. This bishop became famous in Kerala for championing the cause of poor people from all religious backgrounds who had come to live in Thalassery as a result of shortages elsewhere. Death Edit After a series of serious health problems, she died on 28 July 1946, at a young age of 35.