The Catholic Church in India witnessed a historic moment Nov. 8 as Mother Eliswa Vakayil, a 19th-century trailblazer of faith and charity, was declared Blessed during a solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom on Vallarpadom Island in Kerala.
At the request of Pope Leo, Malaysian Cardinal Sebastian Francis of Penang presided over the beatification, according to UCA News.
“Mother Eliswa can relate to every wife, pregnant woman, mother, single mother, and widow after the death of her husband,” Cardinal Francis said, emphasizing the deeply human and spiritual journey of a woman who transformed personal suffering into a legacy of grace. “She allowed God to reshape her identity as a bride of Christ and a spiritual mother to many.”
Born in 1831 as the first of eight children, Eliswa Vakayil was married at 16 and became a widow and mother by age 20. Choosing not to remarry, she instead felt called to religious life. In 1862, with her daughter, Anna, and younger sister, Thresia, she laid the foundation for what would become the first indigenous women’s religious order in India — the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites, later renamed the Teresian Carmelite Sisters (CTC).
Her beatification, the second of three steps toward canonization, follows the Vatican’s recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession: the healing of an unborn baby girl diagnosed with a cleft lip in 2005. Described by Cardinal Francis as “a miracle in the womb,” the healing was declared a divine sign of Mother Eliswa’s holiness.
“Now, Mother Eliswa is a step closer to sainthood,” the cardinal told the faithful, urging continued prayers for a second miracle needed for canonization.
Mother Eliswa’s contributions to Indian Catholic life include the founding of Kerala’s first convent school, boarding house, and orphanage for girls — pioneering opportunities for female education and religious vocation. Her life continues to inspire others. Today, the Teresian Carmelite Sisters number over 1,500 members across more than 200 convents in India and worldwide.
She was declared a Servant of God in 2008 and recognized as Venerable in 2023 by Pope Francis, who approved the miracle in April 2025.
After the beatification Mass, Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, released a novena prayer in her honor.
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