Beatification of India’s Mother Eliswa Vakayil

The Archdiocese of Verapoly rejoiced on Nov 8 as scores of faithful gathered at the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom in Vallarpadom, Kochi, to witness the beatification of Mother Eliswa Vakayil, the foundress of the Congregation of Teresian Carmelites (CTC) and the first indigenous woman religious congregation in Kerala.

Cardinal Sebastian Francis, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Penang, Malaysia, will lead the beatification ceremony of Mother Eliswa Vakayil of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a 19th-century nun from Kerala renowned for her pioneering role in women’s religious life and lifelong dedication to the poor.