KOCHI: Amidst solemn prayers, Sr Rani Maria, a Keralite missionary nun who was stabbed to death at Udainagar near Indore in Madhya Pradesh 22 years ago, was elevated to the status of ‘Blessed’ - the penultimate stage in the four-phased canonisation procedure. She is the first woman martyr of the Catholic church in India. The nun, haling from Pulluvazhi near Perumbavoor, was declared ‘Blessed’ by Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during a Holy Mass at a special venue set up on the premises of St Paul’s Higher Secondary School near St Francis Assisi Cathedral in Indore.
Cardinal Amato read out Pope Francis’ decree in Latin while Syro Malabar Church head Cardinal George Alencherry delivered the English translation. The Hindi version of the decree was rendered by Cardinal Telesphore Toppo. The cause of canonisation of the nun began in 2003 and she was declared a ‘Servant of God’ four years later. In March this year, the Vatican had cleared her beatification after approving the report of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree of the nun’s martyrdom.
CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Archbishop of Mumbai Oswald Gracias, Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro and Bishop of Indore Chacko Thottumarickal took part in the beatification ceremony. A group of 300 parishioners as well as the family members of the nun also attended the Mass in Indore.
Celebration at Pulluvazhi
Pulluvazhi was in a pious mood as the beatification ceremony progressed in Indore. There were only simple decorations to welcome the faithful at St Thomas Church where a special Mass was celebrated by Fr Kuriakose Marottil. It was followed by viewing of the live telecast of the ceremony in Indore. Sweets were distributed later. Vattalil Thomas, the elder brother of Sr Rani Maria’s father, lighted the lamp at home. This was followed by a procession carrying the portrait of the nun. Besides parishioners, believers from neighbouring places also attended the Mass.
Special Mass in Kochi on Nov 11
There will be a special Mass at St Mary’s Basilica here on November 11 to commemorate the beatification of the martyred nun. It will be jointly organised by the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly and the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC), the religious order to which Sr Rani belonged. Cardinal Alencherry will lead the Mass.