Thomas Kurialacherry

Thomas Kurialacherry, often Kurialachery ( born January 14, 1873 in Champakulam, Kerala, India, † June 2, 1925 in Rome) was a Catholic bishop and first head of the Syro -Malabar diocese ( eparchy ) of Changanacherry in Kerala.

Life and work

Thomas Kurialacherry was born in the village Champakulam, a center of the Thomas Christians with a more than 1500 -year-old Christian community.

He studied in Rome at the Pontifical College of the Propaganda Congregation and received on 27 May 1899, the ordination. After returning to India, he took over parishes in Chennamkary, Kavalam, Edathua and his home town Champakulam. In Edathua he founded in 1908 as pastor of the order of the " Sisters of the Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar ", the associated contemplative prayer with educational, educational and charitable tasks. It exists to this day and also has offices in Germany (eg Trier)

On August 30, 1911, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Changanacherry and Titular Bishop of Pella and consecrated on December 3, Thomas Kurialacherry of Pope Pius X.. His predecessor Mathew Makil, at the same time also belonged to the endogamous sub-grouping of Knananiten took over the newly created specifically for this group personnel Vicariate of Kottayam.

Bishop Kurialacherry was an ardent admirer of the Sacrament and promoted throughout the communities Eucharistic Adoration. At the same time he fought the sustained spread in his diocese society evils, illiteracy, alcoholism, social injustice and Frauenenbenachteiligung. In this sense, he also founded by him the Order of Nuns. In 1922, the prelate in Changanacherry the St. John Berchmans College, now part of the University of Kerala. There, every year is the " Kurialacherry Medal" awarded for the best Bachellorabschluss.

On St. Thomas, December 21, 1923 presented Pope Pius XI. the ordinary hierarchy of the Catholic Thomas Christians of India and restores from their Apostolic vicariates were independent dioceses. On this day Thomas Kurialacherry became the first bishop of the newly formed diocese of Changanacherry.

In 1925 he visited Rome for the Holy Year and died there suddenly on June 2 of this year. His remains were transferred in 1935 to the Cathedral of Changanacherry, which soon began a brisk stream of pilgrims to the grave of the deceased in the odor of sanctity Pastors. In the 14 years of his episcopate he had written no less than 113 pastoral letters.

Due to numerous favors the Archdiocese Chaganacherry initiated in 1983 the beatification process for their first bishop, who in 1991 successfully concluded on the diocesan level. Since then, the Causa is the final decision in Rome brought, and he may be referred to as "Venerable Servant of God ".