St. Alphonsa
Patron against illness
1910 - 1946
She was born as Annakkutty (little Anna) in Kudamaloor, a village in the princely state of Travancore which was under the British Raj (now present day Kottayam district, Kerala, India) to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu. She was baptized on 27 August 1910 at Saint Mary's Church in Kudamaloor under the patronage of Saint Anna. Anna's mother died when she was young, so her maternal aunt raised her. Anna was
In 1916 Anna started her schooling in Arpookara. She received First Communion on 27 November 1917. In 1918 she was transferred to the school in Muttuchira. In 1923 Anna was badly burned on her feet when she fell into a pit of burning chaff. This accident left her permanently disabled.
When it became possible, Anna joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. She arrived at the Poor Clares convent at Bharananganam on Pentecost 1927. She received the postulant's veil on 2 August 1928 and took the name Alphonsa. In May 1929 she entered the Malayalam High School at Vazhappally. Her foster mother died in 1930.
On 19 May 1930 she received her religious habit at Bharananganam. Three days later she resumed her studies at Changanacherry, while working as a temporary teacher at the school at Vakakkad. On 11 August 1931 she joined the novitiate. Anna took her permanent vows on 12 August 1936. Two days later she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry.
She taught elementary school, but was often sick and unable to teach.
In December 1936, it is claimed that she was cured from her ailments through the intervention of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, but on 14 June 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of pneumonia, which left her weakened. On 18 October 1940, a thief entered her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia and weakened her again.
Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She received extreme unction on 29 September 1941. The next day it is believed that she regained her memory, though not complete health. Her health improved over the next few years, until in July 1945 she developed a stomach problem that caused vomiting.
She died on 28 July 1946, aged 35. She is buried at Bharananganam, Travancore (present day Kerala) in the Diocese of Palai.
Her tomb in Bharananganam has become a pilgrimage site as miracles have been reported by some faithful. The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by the Vatican for the canonization was the healing of the club foot of an infant in 1999.
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I knew of sister Alphonsa when I was about twelve years old, I was deeply impressed by
my GRANDMOTHER (my dad's Mum) her name was santhosam, she was very eager
to visit her grave in Kerala, so she made a request to my Dad that she be taken to Chochin
so my Dad took her to the place where the saint was buried..
I was deeply impressed by her devotion since in our family prayers we also remembered
to pray to her, my parents had a great affection towards this saint and had her picture
framed and adorned our home.
After many years since the demise of my parents and the shifting of residence with my
family I lost the pictire of the saint, but as I always remembered her I was fortumate
to come across a good picture of the saint in a Salesian calender year 2009, so I was
happy to have this pic: laminated and now I have her just on front of me in my Office
room where I sit and work on my P/C.
I am indeed happy to write this short history of this my fami;y;s saint who was so slose
to my G/mother,my Dad and Mum. My affection and payer to her will ever remain and I
hope that this saint will be continued to be revered and invoked by my children or Grand
children That's my prayer and wish.
Saint Sister Alphonsa Please pray for me and the rest of my family, of your mercy
please bless my Brother Wilson with an improved vision and my sister Maheswari to regain
her normal health, I will also make them pray to her for her kind intercession.
David
St. Alphonsama Pray for us
Our Daughter Anna Rose was suffering from constipation for the last four years.She got a miraculous cure by the intercession of St.Alphonsa ( Alphonsamma as we call) from the very next day we went to her tomb.Thanks to Jesus and our Alphonasmma.(This happened in April 2012)
Joby Sebastian & Prathibha Joby
St Alphonsa, thank you and God for everything you have done for us. i ask you to please help my sister with the pain in her feet and give her some hope. love Martina xx
saint alphonsa' plz pray 4 me & family saji jose, wayanad
Thanks to God, whoever does his will, he bless them, Grateful to see St.Alphonsa as a Saint of India. When I read St.Alphonsas biography, her humility and eneavourances inspired me a lot in my life. I have taken her as my role model in my life. St.Alphonsa please Pray for me.
Saint Alphonsa, I came to know you through my journeys to India. I now count you among my Patron Saints. Please pray for me and protect me in my travels, especially to your native country.
St.Alphonsa's leg got burned not by accident as in the description above. It was a deliberate attempt by her to get rid off all the marriage proposals as she desired to be bride to Jesus alone.
While St. Alphonsa was in bed, the school children used to visit her and requested her to pray for them to pass in the exams. Actually, the school children were the first to get blessings through the intercession of St. Alphonsa. Even after her death, the children used to go to her tomb and pray to her to pass in the exam. Through the intercession of St. Alphonsa , all children got good marks in the exams. Later the elders joined them and got blessings through the intercession of the St. Alphonsa.
This was missed in your postings. Pl add to it.
Justine Kottaram
Bangalore
St. Aiphonsa, Please pray for my family. Please pray that God may give us Faith, Health and Happiness and free from unnecessary worrying.
St.Alphonsa pray for us
St.Alphonsa pray for us
St. Alphonsa please pray for us. God has chosen you to serve his people. you are so fortunate and blessed to serve his people.
This blog was very helpful to me and helped me a lot in choosing my saint I actually went to the tomb of saint Alphonsa last year on my school holidays the place was truly beutiful and a spectaculer sight my mother was acyually part of the parish of St. Aphonsa's home church.
St. Alphonsa please pray for me
Grateful to see St. Alphonsa of Immaculate Conception listed.
St. Alphonsa, pray for us.
St.Alphonsa pray for us
the message was truly interesting!!!
please pray for me!!!!
st alphonsa our first saint from syro malabar church
I love St:Alphonsama in the name of Father-jesus-holy soul..