At a time when Kerala’s society was deeply caste-bound and patriarchal, Mother Eliswa championed women’s education and empowerment.
Published Nov 05, 2025 | 8:33 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 05, 2025 | 8:33 AM
Mother Eliswa Vakayil.
Synopsis: In a historic moment for Kerala’s Catholic community, Eliswa of the Blessed Virgin, also known as Mother Eliswa Vakayil, will be elevated to the rank of “Blessed” on 8 November. She was the first nun in the history of the Church in Kerala and the founder of the state’s first indigenous women’s religious congregation.
In a historic moment for Kerala’s Catholic community, Eliswa of the Blessed Virgin, also known as Mother Eliswa Vakayil, will be elevated to the rank of “Blessed” on 8 November, marking a major step toward sainthood. She was the first nun in the history of the Church in Kerala and the founder of the state’s first indigenous women’s religious congregation.
Pope Leo XIV has approved the beatification in April, 112 years after Mother Eliswa’s passing.
The solemn ceremony will be held at 4.30 pm at the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom in Vallarpadom, Ernakulam, the National Marian Pilgrimage Centre, and is expected to draw thousands of devotees and clergy from around the world.
During the ceremony, Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of Verapoly will present the petition for beatification. At the same time, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, Malaysia, and the Papal Delegate representing Pope Leo XIV, will officially proclaim Mother Eliswa as “Blessed”.
The Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, will deliver a special message, and Cardinal Oswald Gracias will unveil the devotional image of Blessed Mother Eliswa.
The celebration will culminate in a grand procession and a musical tribute depicting her life of prayer, courage, and service.
Among the concelebrants of the sacred liturgy will be Father Miguel Marquez Calle OCD, Superior General of the Order of Discalced Carmelites; Fr Marco Chiesa OCD, Postulator General of the OCD; and several cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from India and abroad.
Born on 15 October 1831, in Ochanthuruth near Kochi, to Thomman and Thanda of the noble Vyppissery Capithan family, Eliswa Vakayil was the eldest of eight children.
Her brother Father Louis, later ordained as the first priest for the St Pius X Province of the Discalced Carmelites in India, became a noted scholar, linguist, and one of the translators of the Bible into Malayalam.
At 16, Eliswa married Vareed Vakayil, a prosperous businessman from Koonammavu, and gave birth to a daughter, Anna.
However, tragedy struck early — Vareed’s sudden death left Eliswa a widow at 20, with an infant daughter. In an era that compelled young widows to remarry, Eliswa chose a path of prayer, simplicity, and service.
She built a small thatched hut near her husband’s home in Koonammavu, where she lived in solitude with her child, devoting herself to prayer and caring for the poor.
Her life took a decisive turn in 1862 when she met Father Leopoldo Beccaro OCD, an Italian Carmelite missionary who discerned her spiritual calling and became her guide.
Four years later, in 1866, Eliswa, along with her daughter Anna and sister Thresia, founded the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites (TOCD) — the first indigenous Carmelite religious congregation for women in India. It’s said, this marked the birth of women’s religious life in Kerala.
At a time when Kerala’s society was deeply caste-bound and patriarchal, Mother Eliswa championed women’s education and empowerment.
Under her leadership, the congregation established Kerala’s first convent school, boarding house, and orphanage for girls at Koonammavu in 1868 — a revolutionary step toward female literacy and social upliftment.
She believed that faith and education were inseparable. The schools run by her order not only imparted academic learning but also trained women in livelihood skills and moral formation. Her institutions became sanctuaries for orphaned, abandoned, and destitute girls, providing them with dignity and hope.
The Vatican’s news agency Fides noted that through these initiatives, Eliswa “made the social and economic emancipation of women her congregation’s priority.”
Her congregation grew rapidly, attracting women from across Kerala and beyond. By the time of her death, her order had established multiple convents and schools, shaping generations of women who would later become educators, nurses, and social workers.
In 1890, the TOCD congregation split according to Latin and Syro-Malabar rites, giving rise to two thriving communities — the Congregation of the Teresian Carmelites (CTC) and the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC).
Today, these congregations together have over 7,000 sisters and 209 convents, serving communities in India, Africa, America, Germany, Italy, and England.
Mother Eliswa spent the final 23 years of her life at St Joseph’s Convent in Varapuzha, dedicating herself to prayer and mentorship.
She passed away on July 18, 1913, and was buried at the St Joseph’s and Mount Carmel Church in Varapuzha.
In 1997, her mortal remains were moved to the memorial building “Smruthi Mandhir” within the convent premises, where devotees continue to visit her tomb to seek intercession.
The Church formally began Mother Eliswa’s cause for sainthood on 30 May 2008, when Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil of Verapoly declared her a Servant of God.
On 8 November 2023, the Vatican recognised her “heroic virtues” and declared her Venerable. In April 2025, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to her intercession, paving the way for her beatification — the penultimate step toward sainthood.
She will be declared a saint once the Vatican verifies a second miracle attributed to her intercession.
Mother Eliswa is revered as the mother of all consecrated women in Kerala, a title earned through her pioneering spirit and compassionate service.
Her vision of combining spiritual formation with education and social responsibility continues to guide thousands of religious women.
The upcoming beatification is not just a celebration for the Carmelite family but a milestone for the entire Indian Church — honouring a woman who rose above personal tragedy to transform the spiritual and social fabric of Kerala.
As the bells of Vallarpadom Basilica ring out on 8 November 2025, the life of a simple widow from Koonammavu will be remembered — not for her sorrow, but for her sanctity, courage, and enduring light.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
