Carmelites of Mary Immaculate - Founder Chavara Kuriakose Elias

The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.) are a religious institute for men in the Syro-Malabar Church found on 11 May 1831; 183 years ago. It is the first Catholic religious congregation founded in India. "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts" is the motto of C.M.I. It was founded by Kuriakose Elias Chavara along with Thomas Palackal and  Thomas Porukara as co founders. The first monastery of CMI congregation was established on 11 May 1831 at Mannanam in Kottayam district of Kerala, India.
The congregation currently has five major seminaries for the training of its members: Dharmaram College, Bangalore, Darsana Philosophate, Wardha, Samanvaya Theologate, Bhopal, Carmel Vidya Bhavan, Pune, and CMI Vidya Bhavan, Baroda. The first seminary outside India was established in 2001 in Kenya. In 1962, when the Chanda mission territory was entrusted to the Syro-Malabar Church, it was committed to the care of the congregation. Apart from Chanda, today CMI bishops take care of the dioceses of Jagdalpur, Bijnor, Rajkot, and Adilabad. Other than Missionary works congregation have running lot of educational institution. One of the pioneering works of C.M.I is in 1844, the first printing press in the Syro-Malabar Church was started at Mannanam. Deepika, the first newspaper of Kerala, was begun at Mannanam in 1887. After running it for more than a century, it was handed over to a registered company.

Blessed Chavara Kuriakose Elias (Chavara Achchan) and Sister Euphrasia (Evuprasamma) are Canonized as Saints of the Catholic Church 23 November 2014

The announcement of Blessed Father Chavara Kuriakose Elias, popularly called as Chavarayachan and his disciple and nun Blessed Sister Euphrasia called as 'Evuprasamma' is a twin delight for the 2000 year-old Indian Church establkished by Apostle St. Thomas and the Society founded by Chavara Kuriakose Father, the CMI....!
Kuriakose Elias Chavara is the second man  from India to be declared as saint  followed by Mumbai based St Gonsalo Garcia. Garcia who was born in 1556,desired to become a Catholic Priest, engaged in missionary work in Japan before being martyred in 1597 and was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 1862.
Sister Alphonsa as the first woman saint  from India and the second person to become a saint from India after  St. Gonsalo Gracia . Sister Alphonsa , popularly called as Alphonsamma was declared as blessed by Pope John Paul II  along with Chavarayachan. Now the Indian Church in particular and the whole country in general especially the state of Kerala are in jubilation on the declaration of two of its prestigious children loved by most of the backward caste people without any religious discrimination, to be elevated as Saints....!