Thanksgiving held for Saint Alphonsa in Kerala

Kottayam (Kerala), Nov 10 : Hundreds of thousands of people participated in a 10-day-long thanksgiving celebration for kerala's recently annointed saint Alphonsa.

Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Vatican and former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam also attended the function Addressing the gathering Dr. Kalam said "We must take a vow in the land Saint Alphonsa was born, that we will remove pain of one person at least. Every month I will remove pain of one person, that really is thanksgiving."

Sister Alphonsa was born in Kudamaloor in Kerala's Kottayam District in 1910. She joined the Clarist Congregation. She died in 1946 after suffering from various illnesses.

Sister Alphonsa is credited with having performed some miracles during her lifetime. She was beatified and made blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1986.

Her tomb at Palai is a famous Christian pilgrimage spot.

ANI