Kuriakose Elias Chavara

Saint

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara

Kuriakose Chavara
Born(1805-02-10)10 February 1805
Kainakary, Kuttanad, Kingdom of Travancore, British Raj (now in Alappuzha district, Kerala, India)
Died3 January 1871(1871-01-03) (aged 65)
Koonammavu, Kingdom of Cochin, British Raj (now in Ernakulam, Kerala, India)
Venerated inCatholic Church
Beatified8 February 1986, Kottayam by Pope John Paul II
Canonized23 November 2014, Rome by Pope Francis
Major shrineSt. Joseph's Church, Mannanam, St.Philomena's Forane Church, Koonammavu
Feast18 February (Roman Latin Catholic Church) 3 January (Syro-Malabar Church)
InfluencesPalackal Thoma

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, CMI (10 February 1805 – 3 January 1871) was an Indian Catholic priest, religious, philosopher and social reformer. He is the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin and was a member of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic church.

He was the co-founder and first prior general of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Church, the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and of a similar one for women, the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel.