Milestones - Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara

1805, February 10  Blessed Chavara was born at Kainakary

1805, February 18  Baptized at Chennankary Church

1829, Nov  29 Ordained priest by Arch Bishop Maurelius Stabilini

1831, May 11  Foundation of the first Indigenous Religious Congregation for Men (CMI) and first Monastry at Mannanam.

1833  Started First Seminary at Mannanam

1846 Started the first catholic Sanskrit School in Kerala

1846  Started the first catholic printing press in Kerala
1861, June 8 Appointed as the Vicar General of the Syro-Malabar Church

1866, Feb 13 Foundation of the first Indigenous Congregation for Women (C.M.C.) 

1871, January 3 The death of Bl. Chavara at Koonammavu 

1889, May 24  Mortal remains were transferred to Mannanam

1958, January 3  Began diocesan process for his beatification 

1980, March 15  Formal introduction of cause by the Sacred Congregation 

1984, April 7 Pope John Paul II elevated him to the status of Venerable 

1986, February 8 Father Chavara is declared BLESSED  by Pope John Paul II at Kottayam, Kerala

1987,December 20 The President of India, R Venkitaraman, released the postal stamp of Blessed Chavara

2014, November  (declared as saint soon)

LIFE STORY OF CHAVARAYACHAN

Kuriakose Elias Chavara  popularly known as "Chavarayachan"  was the co-founder and first Prior General of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and of a similar one for women, the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel..

Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born on February 10, 1805, at Kainakary, Kerala in a Saint Thomas Christian family as the son of Iko (Kuriakose) Chavara and Mariam Chothirakkunel/ Thoppil. He was baptized on February 17, 1805, at Chennamkary Parish Church in Alappuzha. In his childhood, Kuriakose attended the village school. There he studied language and elementary sciences. 

He entered the seminary in 1818 in Pallipuram where Father Thoma Palackal was the Rector. He was ordained a priest on 29 November 1829 at Arthunkal and presided over the Holy Qurbana for the first time at Chennamkary Church.

Kuriakose Kathanar joined with two other priests, Palackal Thoma Malpan and Porukara Thomas Kathanar to lead a monastic life. The name of the community they founded was the Servants of Mary Immaculate. The foundation for the first monastery at Mannanam was laid on May 11, 1831, by Porukara Thomas Kathanar. Palackal and Porukara Kathanars died in 1841 and 1846, respectively. On December 8, 1855, Kuriakose Kathanar and ten other priests took vows in the Carmelite tradition. He was nominated as the Prior General of the Mannanam Monastery. The congregation became affiliated as a Third Order institute of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. From that point on they used the postnominal initials of T.O.C.D