Fr. Augustine, the Servant of God, whose parents were Itty Iype and Eliswa, was born on 1st April 1891, in Thevarparampil house, which was a branch of the ancient Kuzhumpil family. Among the five children born to those parents, Augustine was the youngest.

On the seventh day the child was baptised in the parish church, Ramapuram. It is the baptising priest who calls a baby by a name for the first time. This child was given the name Augustine, in respectful remembrance of the patron saint of the parish.

The influence exercised by the parents in giving a good character formation to the boy Augustine was great.

In those days pre primary schools such as kindergarten, nursery schools etc. were unheard of. Children in the villages were taught the alphabets and other initial matters by certain professional teachers, called ‘Ashans’, in their own schools, which were called ‘Kalaris’. The young boys and girls below five sat on the floor under a thatched roof. There were no pieces of furniture common to a class room, such as bench, desk etc. The Ashans were chiefly Hindus, and they treated all the children equally, irrespective of their religion.

There was a primary school run by the Government of Travancore in the compound of Ramapuram Parish Church. The building was constructed by the Church, and then handed over to the Government.

On completion of the course in the Kalari, Augustine joined the primary school. Wearing a small cloth around the waist and holding an umbrella made of palm leaf, the boy went to the school together with his companions. He was the shortest one in his class.

After completing the primary classes at Ramapuram, K.M. Augustine joined St. Ephrem’s High School at Mannanam and resided in the St. Aloshyius Boarding attached to the school.

In the boarding Augustine got the opportunity to foster the devotion to Mary, Mother of God, which he acquired from his parents.

Augustine Thevarparampil joined the Minor Seminary at Changanacherry* to become a diocesan priest, like his uncles Frs. Joseph and Thomas.

In the first decades of the 20th century motor vehicles were not seen on the roads of Kerala. People went from place to place, mostly on foot. Augustine’s journey from Ramapuram to Changanacherry was accomplished in two phases. First he went to Kottayam on foot covering a distance of about 38 kilometers. He walked bare foot along the dusty roads full of stones and thorns. Then from Kottayam he travelled to Changanacherry by boat.

On completing the minor seminary training, Bro. Augustine was admitted to the Puthenpally Seminary, at Varapuzha in June 1915.

To receive the cassock, the official dress of a priest was of special importance in the life of a cleric at that time. It was by this dress that a youngman was officially set apart from the other people. On July 16, 1915 Bro. Augustine Kuzhumpil received his cassock.

At the end of the 9th year, his life in the Seminary reched its destination. That blessed day fell on 21st December 1921. The Bishop raised him to the status of a priest with the power to celebrate the Holy Encharist, preach the word of God, and to administer the sacraments.

Fr. Augustine celebrated his first Holy mass at Sr. Augustine’s Forane Church Ramapuram, with due solemnity. It was a great feast not only for the members of his family but to the parish community as a whole. As he was very small of stature, he came to be called ‘Kunjachan’ (Little priest). The servant of God Kunjachan resided at Ramapuram, for a while, where he could get practical training under Fr. Kokkat.

Fr. Augustine was appointed assistant Vicar at Kadanad Church, in February 1923. The vicar in that church was Fr. Thomas Kuzhumpil, a relative of the S. of God.

Even while a young priest working as assistant, people used to approach him to save their crops from damaging worms and insects. They believed sincerely that if he came to bless and sprinkle Holy water, the worms in the Ginger field and insects destroying the paddy perish and the crops would be saved.

Mathai Sugusthy Nattunilathu from Ramapuram was a farmer, who had a fairly big plot with ginger cultivation, at Manathoor. Once he found that some pernicious worms were destroying the crops and they were growing rapidly. Feeling very sad over the event, the farmer approached our young priest and requested him to pay a visit to his ginger field. Kunjachan went with him immediately and on seeing the destroyed ginger beds, asked him why he did not inform him earlier. Still he encouraged him and asked him to rely on prayer. Then the priest went around the whole field, sprinkling Holy Water. He spent about two hours there. Ever since that event there was no destruction from the worms, and the farmer testified that he got an abundance of crops; more than what was expected.

Kunjachan’s service at Manathoor and Kadanad did not last long. As he got sick, he returned to Ramapuram in March 1926.

It was while convalesceing at Ramapuram that he came across a new field of activity, hitherto unattended by anyone else. He saw at Ramapuram and surrounding villages a class of people Harijans* deprived of all social status ans who lived like slaves at the mercy of the landlords. On studying the sad elight of these poor people, he decided to dedicate himself to their evangelisation and uplifting.

For centuries they wer treated as untouchables and even as unapproachables. The upper caste Hindus kept them at a specified distance. If this was violated, they had to purify themselves by a cleansing bath. The low caste people were not even allowed to use the public roads, near temples. They were never allowed to enter places of Hindu worship or schools or other public places.

Mar Thomas Kurialacherry, Bp. of Changanacherry was very kind to these hapless people and he employed every possible means to raise them up from their sad plight. First of all he tried to convince the priests of the diocese about their obligation to sow the word of God among the poor. In a letter, the Bishop sent to the priests on 1st June 1916, we read:

"The great desire of a good priest should not be acquiring higher positions or amassing abundance of wealth, instead it should be the salvation of souls. To achieve this end, priests should follow the example of the Lord Jesus, discarding comforts, wealth and even the very life". The counsel of the Bishop exerted a deep influence on the mind of the young priest, Augustine.

The Evangelical work in the diocese of Changanacherry was entrusted to Fr. Hilaarios T.O.C.D., a religious priest of the Syrian Carmelite congregation. Visiting the various parishes of the diocese, he could attract many to the fold of the Holy Church, by his retreats and counsels. While residing in the monastery at Mutholy, he wrote to the parish priest of Ramapuram on 21-12-1924:

"I could find on special investigation in places like Piravom, Thuruthipally, Koothattukulam, Ramapuram and Kudakachira, that there were many people ready to receive baptism. If the necessary fund is available, evangelisation work could be begun in those places, immediately .................... Kindly inform me how you would be able to cooperate with me in this endeavour"

In his mission tour Fr. Hilarios T.O.C.D. came to St. Augustine’s Church, Ramapuram in March 1926. Actually he had been invited by the then vicar, to preach the annual retreat to the community of the faithful. At the insistance of the preacher, some of the landlords led their own dependents to the Church on the last day of the retreat. The preachers taught them the essentials of the Christian faith. With the intention of instructing them further later on, they were ready to administer them the sacrament of Baptism. No one was compelled to receive the sacrament. Those who were not interested could go home freely. It is recorded that about two hundred people received baptism on that day.

It was in March 1926 that the servant of God returned to Ramapuram from Kadanad. He noticed the events that happened in the Church during the annual retreat. There he witnessed the beginning of a new field of Evangelisation. He saw the hundreds of Harijan families, who lived around him. None of them owned even a single piece of land. They lived in small huts made in other people’s property. Not only were they illiterate, but they didn’t even know the value of education. At the end of a day’s work, what they were given was only a small measure of rice. Reaching home in the evening they had to make use of this very rice to prepare foof for themselves and their children. In the morning again they started to work in the field.

In those days the children from Harijan families were denied admission in the public schools. Also the other students didn’t like these poor children sitting beside them in the class. The teachers too hated their presence.

Kunjachan realised that there was not even a single person among the neophytes who knew to read and write. He was convinced that imparting education was of primary importance in the field of his activities. Therefore he started schools known as Kalaries in small sheds in different parts of the locality.

Kunjachan led a life devoid of any rest. He used to wake up at 4’O clock in the morning. After the morning ablutions, Kunjachan went to the church. Kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, he dedicated to the Lord the day’s activities and sought. His Grace for the success of his mission. He used to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at the altar of St. Augustine, the patron saint, in the small Church, Ramapuram. After Mass and thanks giving he took a very light breakfast. By this time the catechist would be ready to accompany him, and Kunjachan started with him to the different parts of the parish and neighbouring villages, in search of his flock. Visiting those Harijans who were residing in the lands, of non Christians - the Hindu Landlords-was not easy.

Even though Kunjachan went to the huts of each and everyone of them.

He kept a book named ‘Almasthithi Register*, in which every detail about the members of each neophyte family was written.

The habit of drinking alcohol was very prevalent among the neophytes. Even the women were preys to this evil. As they spent almost everything they received from their labour for alcohol, they spared nothing for the following day.

Those who approached him hungry and thristy were always given a share from what he had.

The Harijan women were not in the habit of wearing any dress above their waist. Actually those poor people were not allowed to do so, by the upper class community. Once they became Christians, the situation had changed. Kunjachan wished that they also should were the same dress as other Christian women.

Sr. Scholastica of the Sacred Heart Convent, Ramapuram, was engaged in stitching cassocks for priests. One day Kunjachan told her to stitch blouses for the Harijan Christian women with the pieces of clothes left aside.

The servant of God was never afraid of going to the houses of sick people even alone during night time.

It was true that those who approached Kunjachan considered his prayer and blessing to be more effective than the medicines given to them.

Rearing of domestic animals like cattle sheep etc. was very common in those days. But there were no veterinary hospitals to treat them when they became sick. In such circumstances all people irrespective of religion, approached Kunjachan to save their animals. They used to bring a small cord and a few grams of salt. After a prayer he blessed and gave the articles back. It was very fruitful. People at Ramapuram and the surrounding places vie with one another in extolling the effectiveness of the prayer of the servant of God.

The servant of God was always willing to hear the confession just before or after the Holy Mass.

Last days, when Kunjachan became sick, he was admited in the Marygiri Hospital, Bharananganam.

On being convinced of the effectiveness of the organisation, Kunjachan at first started a cooperative society. The office bearers of the society such as the President, Secretary, and Treasurer were elected from among the neophytes.

Gradually, owing to the hardwork and meagre food, Kunjachan became sick. He was compelled to be confined to bed on account of a fever he contracted in 1959. Though he was cured of this illness gradually, never did he regain complete health.

Even after becoming sick, he was very careful to make his daily morning Meditation and other prayers. He was in the habit of reading the lives of saints and the gospel passage for meditation, from earlytimes. When he became too ill to read by himself, he heard them, read by others.

On17th Dec. 1971, Kunjachan completed 50 years of his priesthood. He did not like to celebrate his golden jubilee in a solemn manner, as is customary with elder priests. Still, at last he had to yield to the compulsion of the fellow priests of Ramapuram parish, to have some celebrations.

For convenience sake it was conducted on the 22nd of December, 72. As he was too weak to concelebrate, with the other priests, he could only be present at the sanctuary sitting on a chair.

Holy Mass being over, a congratulatory meeting followed, presided over by Msgr. Jacob Vellaringatt. The president and the other speakers, spoke elaborately about the selfless apostolic activities of the Servant of God. But he did not like those laudatory speeches. Becoming restless, he wanted to go back to his bed. He could not speak a single word. It was another priest who thanked all people who took part in the Jubliee Celebrations.

The servent of God understood that he was approaching the end of his life. On a sheet of paper he wrote his last wishes. As he had nothing in his possession, there was no need of registering any ‘will’. In that document we read; "I do not possess anything either as land property or as cash account. Neither do I owe to anybody anything. The pieces of furniture in the room, belong to the senior priests of the Kolath family.

"After my death, the funeral must be conducted in the most simple way. Ever since 1926, I had been staying with the Harijan Christians. Even after death, I would like to be with them. Therefore my dead body should be buried, where the Harijan Christian are buried. The news of my death should not be published in newspapers. You need inform only the fellow priests of this parish, and the priests of the neighbouring parishes. The coffin should not cost more than twenty five rupees.

"I have to get Rs.464. Annas 6 and paise 3 from the Church, which amount I had spent as salary to the Catechist. To that amount, should be added Rs.35, Annas 9 and paise 9, which if I find difficult to realise, Ouseph Mathai, my eldest brother’s son, should entrust to the Church, thus making the amount to be Rs.500/-. The interest of this amount should be spent to celebrate a Holy Mass and an office for the dead, on the day of my death anniversary.

"Don’t celebrate the Sradham* with a ceremonial meal. Instead, it is enough that the prayers for the dead be done at the sepulchre. It is requested that on that occasion, the members of the family and the Harijan Christians make their confession, receive Holy communion and pray for the souls in Purgatory".

Back to his house

The Servant of God became more and more sick. As he had to depend on others for every personal need, he was advised to stay at his house for better treatment.

In the first few days after reaching home, he was found to be some what restless. He was really sad at having left the premises of the Church, where he was staying for about half a century.

Yet, gradually he got himself accustomed to the new surroundings of the family. Many people, including his beloved fold, relatives and friends visited him regularly. Though in shortwords, he enquired about the whereabouts of each and every one of his flock.

Kunjachan’s health gradually deteriorated; respiration was difficult and he lay in bed always.

The Servant of God suffered all his pain silently. He limited his speech to only a few words. On 16th Oct. 1973, two of his Seminary mates, Fr. Sebastian Mattam, and Fr. Abraham Moongamackal reached Thevarparampil House quite accidentally, to visit their ailing old friend. Though he saw them standing beside the bed, he could not talk any thing distinctly. A sudden change was noticed in his facial expression. Understanding the gravity of the situation, the Reverend priests gave him the last blessing. The holy soul of Kunjachan flew into Heaven peacefully.

Not long after, the bells of the parish church tolled announcing his death. People from all over parish and neighbouring places rushed to Thevarparampil House, to catch a last glimpse of the deceased Kunjachan.

On 17th morning, the dead body was taken to St. Augustine’s Church Ramapuram for the last services and burial.

On that very day itself many people approached the coffin imploring the intercession of the holy priest who had just passed away. Some of them even touched their rosary, pen and other things on the bier and prayed.

At the end of the concelebrated Mass in th afternoon, it was Fr. Valerian C.M.I., who spoke the panegyric. He spoke well of Kunjachan’s holiness in life, apostolic zeal, kindness of heart, love for the poor and other virtues. And towards the end he told quite enexpectedly, "we are participating in the funeral of a saint. We have one more mediator in heaven".

Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, the auxiliary bishop of Palai, officiated at the ceremonies, in the absence of Bp. Mar Sebastian Vayalil, who was on a mission tour to the dioceses in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

Kunjachan was buried in a new tomb constructed infront of the altar of St. Augustine in the old church, where he had been celebrating the Holy Mass for years. Eventhough he proposed in his will that he should be buried in the cemetry among the poor Harijan Christians, no one was willing to accede to that pious desire.

People were convinced of the sanctity of the life of the Servant of God even while he was alive. Such people were very sure that Kunjachan would be a powerful intercessor for them before the Almighty. So they began to come to his tomb to pray for his intercession. Protection of crops from destructive insects, curing of domestic animals, success in examinations, employment to the unemployed and similar items were the subjects of their prayer. As a memento of their gratitude, his photo was published in the daily newspapers. They felt that Kunjachan was still staying with them granting all kinds of wonderful favours.

Some pilgims who approached the tomb, knelt there and prayed for his intercession. While returning, they took home a littl soil from that tomb. They experienced that, the soil had some miraculous power. When their numbe increased, it was necessitated that the sepulchre be kept safe, neat and tidy. Therefore the relatives of the Servant of God decided to instal a marble slab over the tomb. On 4th May 1974 Mar Sebastian Vayalil, Bishop of Palai blessed the slab and installed it

On the slab, it was written:

In pious memory of

Rev. Fr. Augustine Kuzhumpil-Thevarparmpil (Rev. Fr. Kunjachan Thevarparampil)

Born : 1-4-1891

Ordained : 17-12-1921

Golden Jubilee : 22-12-1971

Died : 16-10-1973

Beloved of God and men, his name is held in benediction*.

At the bottom of the old marble slab, it is added: Tomb opened, mortal remains verified, and interred on 10-3-1990 by Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, Bishop of Palai.

The first death anniversary of the Servant of God was duly celebrated onn16th Oct. 1974, jointly by his relatives, the neophytes and the parishioners. With the passing of years the number of participants at the death anniversay increased to several thousands. Bishops, priests and people from far and wide reach Ramapuram, making the place a renowned pilgrim centre. They all take part in the Sraddham, and eat the ceremonial meal with due devotion.

The news about the holiness and the intercessory power of Kunjachan reached even far off places. Pilgrims began to flock to his sepulchre. His photographs published as an expression of thanks giving for the favours granted, articles in journals and magazines etc. influenced the general public. Many responsible persons opined that his cause might be considered for canonization.

It was Mar Sebastian Vayalil, first Bishop of Palai (Retired) who took the primary initiation in this line. Based on a request made by the retired Bishop, nad convinced of the importance of the matter, Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil placed a petition before the Congregation for saints in Rome to start the process of canonization, of Fr. Augustine Thevarparampil. After a preliminary investigation, the congregation issued the ‘Nihil Obstat’ (no objection) to start the process.

Bp. Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil appointed Fr. Antony Cairoli, OFM, the postulator general of the congregation of Franciscan Minors, Rome, Postulator of the cause of Kunjachan.

Card, Simon Lourdusamy, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental churches, during his official visit to Kerala, reached Ramapuram, on 11 August 1987. In a public session held inside St. Augustine’s Church Ramapuram, in the presence of the Cardinal, the diocesan Tribunal was fromally inaugurated. In that august assembly, participated by many of the bishops of the Syro Malabar church, and attended by priests, religious and thousands of lay people, Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil the local ordinary, at first took the oath of secrecy. He was followed by the presiding judge, promoter of justice, notary, and cursor. Thence forth Kunjachan began to be called as the Servant of God. Fr. Kurian Mathothu, a priest of the diocease of Palai, was appointed Vice-postulator of the cause. A list of witnesses, numbering 121 had been prepared and was presented before the congregation of Saints. A circular letter was published in the diocesan bulletins of the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara churches, requesting the faithful to entrust the vice-postulator, with any record or matter that might be of help to the diocesan tribunal in its investigation. The registers and diaries written by the Servant of God, the letters he wrote, received or kept by him, etc were scrupulously collected and examined. The vice-postulator took care to meet as many people as possible personally who might have had contact with the revered priest, from among whom a few were chosen to be additional witnesses.

Completing the preliminary preparations, the Tribunal began its sitting to examine the witnesses on 15th June 1989. It was quite accidental that, the sessions of the Tribunal were conducted in the very same room in the presbytery, where the Servant of God was staying for more than three decades!

Altogether 129 witnesses were examined in 205 sessions. They included Bishop-1; Priests-30; Rev. Sisters-12; Laymen-73; Laywomen-12; Religious brother-1. On completion of the examination of the witnesses, their testimonies had been translated from the vernacular Malayalam to English.

The final (public) session of the diocesan Tribunal was conducted at St. Augustine’s church Ramapuram on 6th June 1992, presided over by bishop Mar Joseph Pallikkaparampil. The bishop put his signature officially on the packets containing the findings of the tribunal. Along with these documents, the letters of the Servant of God, his pocket diary, different registers writtenby him and kept in the Church, biographies in different languages, paper cuttings, articles in magazines, reports of favours received, etc also have been packed, sealed and sent to the Congregation of saints in Rome. The original copies of the documents were kept in the archives of the Bishop’s house.

On demand from the part of the Postulator, a Historical commission consisting of three members was constituted on 6th June 1993. The commission made a detailed enquiry about everything that might be found about the Servant of God, in the major Seminary at Alwaye, (The Puthenpally seminary, where the Servant of God had his priestly studies was later shifted to Mangalapuzha seminary, Alwaye), Archives of the Bishop’s houses at Changanacherry and Palai, and other places related to the saintly priest. The report prepared based on the findings of the enquiry was sent to Card. Anjelo Felici, prefect of the con. of saints, Rome, on 15th September 1993.

The findings and the reports sent to Rome, weighed all together 62 kgs. The papers arranged in a number of files, were submitted to the Congregation by Fr. Giovanni Folguera OFM, the Postulator.

As a first step, the documents were bound in 36 volumes. Then the Congregation made a detailed study to see whether the proceedings of the Diocesan Tribunal were conducted according to the prescribed regulations. Finding them to be in the proper order, the Congregation issued by Decree approving the validity of the documents on 26th November 1993. Again on 10th December 1993, Msgr. Jose Louis Gutierezz was appointed ‘Relatore’ for conducting the cause of the Servant of God.

Fr. Antonio Cairoli, who was serving as the Postulator at the beginning of the process, expired on 17th November 1989, due to cardiac arrest. He is succeeded by Fr. Giovanni Folguera, OFM as the new Postulator.

On 1st April 1991, the 100th birth anniversary of Kunjachan was celebrated in a simple but meaningful way. Earlier, competitions in painting and elocution were conducted on an all Kerala basis and prizes were awarded to the winners.

On the morning of April 1st, a prayer meeting was held in the Thevarparampil house, presided over by Rev. Dr. Joseph Mattam, Vicar general of the diocese of Palai, and attended by hundreds of neighbours and relations. 100 candles were lit to commemorate the day’s significance.

In the afternoon, the bishop of Palai was the main celebrant in the Holy mass, celebrated at the parish church, Ramapuram. The public meeting that followed was inaugurated by Dr. Peter Chenapparampil, Bishop of Alleppy. Leaders representing the various section in the society, religious and secular, spoke on the occasion.

It was on 17th 1973 that the body of the Servant of God was interred in a new sepulchre in the old church at Ramapuram. It was feared that in the passing of years, the mortal remains could be damaged due to the moisture of the soil and other reasons. Investigation of the mortal remains is a part of the diocesan process. Such being the situation, the Vice postulator presented the matter before the bishop and requested him formally to grant permission to open the tomb according to the prescribed norms, that were to be followed in the cause of the canonization of saints. Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil, Bishop of Palai granted the permission to open the tomb on 10th March 1990.

The Church was fully packed with devotees. The bishop, the members of the Tribunal, doctors, and other assistants standing before the altar, took the solemn oath, after the initial prayers. They pledged that they would perform their duties with due reverence and adhering scrupulously to the norms prescribed by the Holy see in the cause of the canonization of saints. Three persons who took part in the funeral of the servant of God seventeen years ago Fr. Thomas Vallvankott, Mr. Devasia Manthrapara and Joy Thevarparampil officially testified the tomb.

Engineer Mr. Jesudas together with his work assistants at first carefully removed the Marble slab and the soil underneath. Then Dr. (Professor) George Paul from Medical College, Kottayam, descended into the tomb and carefully picked up the mortal remains one after another. First they were examined by the bishop, and the promoters of justice of the Tribunal.

The wooden coffin in which Fr. Augustine was interred had completely disintegrated and was visible as a brownish black outline in the soil. The lid of the coffin had caved in, and the mortal remains were completely surrounded by dry soil which on carefu removal disclosed the remnants of a black cassock, a black biretta, covering the head and two canvas shoes enclosing foot bones. While the latter two could be recovered intact, the cassock crumbled into fragments on touch and was lost in the soil.

The bones were dry and brittle and many had their cortex missing and medulla exposed particularly at the ends and crumbled to fragments on handling.

The following bones were identifiable: The skull in fragments, the basal and facial portions in one piece and vault in fragments, and mandible in 3 fragments. Part of the left clavicle, scapulae in three pieces, both humeri with lower ends missing, left radius whole and right in two pieces, upper two thirds of the right ulna, 14 carpel and 32 metacarpel and phalangeal bones, both first ribs and 21 pieces of ribs, 25 vertebrae, upper half of both tibiae, 14 tarsal and 18 metatarsal and phalangeal bones. Besides 67 unidentifiable fragments of bones were present.

As the bones were dry, soft tissue remnants were cleared of them using cotton swabs dipped in ethanol, and subsequently a protective coat of varnish was applied. Later they were grouped and transferred to polythene bags and sealed airtight. Then they were placed into a stainless steel casket which had three separate compartments.

On the lid of the steel casket, the St. Thomas cross is imprinted. Besides, we see the inscription, Servant of God Kunjachan (Fr. Augustine) Thevarparampil, Tomb exhumed on 10th March, 1990.

The casket was kept safety in the locked room of the presbytary for a few days, for a new tomb had to be constructed at the same site.

On August 24, 1990 the casket containing the moral remains were officially taken out of the locked room by the bishop. It was taken to hte church and placed on a raised platform, which could be seen by all the devotees thickly packed there. Then it was properly closed and bound by plastic cords. The bishop imprinted his official seal on the knot. Then the casket was placed in a box made of fibre-glass, closed and sealed. Then the box was taken to the newly built tomb for interment.

Bishop Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil officiated at the ceremonies. The rite for the burial of priests was followed. The casket was carefully lowered into the new sepulchre, covered by a concrete slab and locked. A marble slab was installed over it.

Today, thousands of people from far and wide approach this tomb and pray to the Servant of God for his intercession. Let us pray that before long he be raised to the honours of the alter, by the official proclamation of the Church.

It is in the fitness of things that I make a few remarks concerning his virtues which I deem heroic. Of course the Church has to give a decision on this. But as far as human knowledge permits, I conclude from his life and career that he had practised heroic virtues proper to the Christian ideal of perfection. He was inspired by a deep faith in God and complete confidence in his mercy. His love for Jesus was most fervent while his love for fellowmen, in particular, for harijans, bespoke a chaity of the widest range and rarest intensity. He also practised in an extraordinary manner the moral virtues of chastity, obedience, prudencce, justice and temperance. It was a life of sacrifice and service that the led. Now, it is known that he possessed the charism of prophecy and the power to work miracles. May our divine master deign to reward this servant of God by proclaiming through the church that his life was really heroic and thereby render him worthy to be honoured as a canonized saint. From everywhere prayers are being offered to obtain from Christ, the Shepherd of souls, the favour of making manifest to the whole world the state of blessedness that Kunjachan has passed into after his mortal life here among us.

Even from his boyhood, Kunjachan was a pious and dutiful person. He never shirked work but was wholly deveoted to his studies and ever obedient to the teachers and fathers who taught him. He made no complaints against any of them or against his classmates either. Besides discharging his duties, he was always eager to do for others some little service or other. He cherished a fervent love of Our Lord and confided in Him whole heartedly. Never did he seek his own personal comforts. On the contrary he was always motivated by the ideal of service and sacrifice. It was with considerable difficulty that he made his journeys to Mannanam and later on to Verapoly puthenpally Seminary. At the seminary, too he was ever conscientious in his studies and submitted himself to the superiors, obeying hem cheerfully and ungrudgingly. He was glad to be of help to his class mates whenever they needed his services. He prepared himself carefully and diligently for his ordination. At the time of ordination Christ the Saviour filled him with great joy. He was always happy. Kunjachan was indeed with his friends and relations. Though small in size and stature, large hearted, being capable of a charity that reached out to all men of whatever creed and caste. This fact is well attested by his class mates and the fathers who moved on intimate terms with him.

Kunjachan may be considered as "the apostle of the Harijans" even as St. Paul was considered the apsostle of the Gentiles. From the day he was appointed assistant Vicar of Ramapuram with special charge over Harijan Catholics he saw himself as one among them. He called them his children, his heart beat in sympathy with theirs, partaking of their joys and sorrows, worrries, and consolations. At the beginning there were not more than 300 Harijan Catholics in the Parish but at the time of his departure from this field he could number no fewer than 5,000 Harijan Catholics. It is by fervent prayers, fastings and acts of penance that he was able to accomplish so much. Even when he fell ill he would enquire after his beloved "children" and give them instructions from his sick bed. He loved them sincerely and in their turn the harijans loved hin tenderly. They grew so fond of him that they came to think of him as their "own" Kunjachan. He was a father to them, spiritually and bodily; for Kunjachan had taught himself enough of herbomineral medicine to be able to treat his people in their illness. In treating his patients, he is known to have effected many miraculous cures. Hearing of these wonderful cures, even upper class christians and Hindus sought his help and they were all carefully treated and looked after by him. Further, he possessed by God’s grace the charism of working miracles and the gift of prophecy. Several occasions are reported about his foretelling the future of some of his spiritual children and others who trusted in him.

3 Kunjachan Thevarparampil was a man of God. He was in constant communion with Our Lord present in the Blessed sacrament. He spent long hours by day and night to converse with him and to plead for helps of various kinds for his people and for the Church as a whole. He would gladly accept from the hand of God the sorrows that would be his share in the role of Christian witness facing the challenge of earthly living and dying. His was a life rooted in faith and nourished by a fervent love of God and man. It was a life fortified by the practice of virtue-the evangelical virtues of poverty, obedience and chastity; the moral virtues of justice, patience, temperance and fortitude. Kunjachan lived his life of virtue and charity at a level of excellence that can be called "heroic".

The essence of Kunjachan’s life is summarised in the gospel text: "Whoever believes in me will do what I do". While Kunjachan was alive, he believed in the good God, loved Christ and sincerely tried to imitate him. First and foremost comes his intense faith. He really believed. It was not a mere profession with lips. He loved God practically by loving his brothers and that, the much exploited depressed classes of the day. It was a heroic convition to accept them as children of God, entitled to our love and consideration in those days. To love them as we love ourselves was an idea unheard of them. He saw God in those humble, agonizing humiliated spectre of men. They were living in spiritual, physical social, communal depression and Kunjachan gave his life to uplift them.

I shuddered when I read in his biography that the coir strands of the cot had cut into his tender body through the gaps in his torn mat, and that he hadn’t enough money to replace it even when he was inclined to do so "......"

Kunjachan lived the life of a priest-a Purohit. Purohit in sanskrit means, ‘he who is placed in front’. Today Kunjachan is placed in front of us. He is still discharging the mission of all priests to do the work of the Redeemer who came to their midst, to uplift them. He laughed with them, cried with them, suffered with them. He thus passed on the consolation of God to the poor people whom he was serving.

The life of Kunjachan should be a challenging inspiration for priests. For, a priest is one who knows the vedas, according to Sanskrit root. In other words a priest is one who knows God. And this saintly priest took the God he knew, to the midst of the Harijans, person, the God who came down from Heaven to the midst of the poor men of Galilee, the fishermen, the leper, the outcast. He realised that God had humbled himself so much that no one should claim that he was more needy and more desperate than God. It was such a God, who love and served men that as a priest he conveyed to his beloved destitutes. In the confessional, Kunjachan was like cure d’ Ars, patron saint of diocesan priests, who knew that God understands the agonies of man .............

What we see in the face of Kunjachan are the expressions of a saintly person, who lived in constant union with God. We know that he laboured for the poor people around him. He could see the men around him as persons. His heart always throbbed in love for the suffering and the ignored masses around him. That was the reason why he frequented their poor cottages and drank gruel with them. He taught them the ABC of christian faith. Only a person with infinite love for them could do such things for them. Kunjachan’s love for the poor was an overflow of his love for God.

And who were those people whom he served with such ardent fervour? The outcast of the society, the Harijans, the depressed class of peoples. When we assess the work of Kunjachan against the pathetic background of those poor people, we find that he was the greatest revolutionary of his time. It was his high spirituality that prompted him to embrace such hazardous works for the poor. Only people with a strong inner life can work for a thing till the end. And Kunjachan devoted his entire sacerdotal life for the well being of the Harijan people. He was a man of prayer, who lived always in close union with God ........"

Kunjachan was born on 1st April 1891, the fool’s day. Actually he was a man who made himself fool for the love of God. For, it was considered by many that the work he was doing through out his priestly life was mere foolishness. His work among the Harijans did not earn him either power or position, or any pecuniary benefit. He was spending himself entirely for the uplift of the downtrodden brethren, for the love of God. ‘I am nobdody. All others are greater than me’, that seems to be his mentality.

He was fully aware of his limitations and shortcomings. He was neither an orator, organizer, writer or scholar. He did not consider himself to have achieved anything in life. He thought of himself as a humble servant in the Service of God, through the service of his humble brethren. He took delight in speaking to them the good news of the Lord. That humble priest became a great missionary among the Harijans by his humble evangelization work.

Kunjachan was a priest who completed fifty years in priest hood .................. He tried to make the people realise the meaning of the expression, ‘Presence of God’, amidst the poor people for whom he was working. Hardly anybody appreciated him, or congratulated him. But his service was big and commendable before God. He tried to make people understand the love of God, the mercy of God and their practical impact on mankind. He talked in a low voice. Towards the end, his words were quite inaudible. Even then, anybody who tried to converse with him felt for certain that they were talking to a man of God. His message to us was also clear; whatever anyone does to the least of his brethren, he does it for God Himself. This conviction was always guiding him. He found the image of God in the least of his brethern. They are as much entitled to heaven as anyone of the better class ........"

Kunjachan-he was very small in every aspect. Yet he gained an important position in front of God, by his dedicated life. He lived for the glory of God. Working for the welfare of the poor people, this little priest became great. His life is a testimony of a heroic life.

Whence did he gather strength for all the sacrifices he had undergone? It was from the Holy Eucharist. He spent even hours before all Bl. sacrament. Getting up very early in the morning, he did his morning prayers and meditation infront of the tabernacle, before the celebration of the Eucharist. It is only after having dedicated his day’s activity at the feet of the Lord, that he went out to meet his ‘children’ in the villages.

Even when he returned late in the evening, he was very particular to present himself before the Lord, in order to place before Him all the problems and experiences he met with that day. Like John Maria Vianny, the patron Saint of the diocesan priests, who served for about forty years in the parish of Ars, Kunjachan lived at Ramapuram for about half a century in the service of the poor and downtrodden Christians.

Who was this saint’y priest Kunjachan? He was the man who fulfilled in his life the promises given by the Lord. Those who live according to the will of God will be glorified by Him. Nothing can dwindle their glory. "He who keeps his life will lose it. He who spends his life for my sake will gain it", Jesus said.

Kunjachan spent his life for the poor, seeing in them the very image of God. And God has glorified him. He still lives among us interceding for us before the Almighty.........

Kunjachan was a priest who dedicated himself to the spiritual and temporal welfare of a marginalised set of people who were poor and exploited for generations. He preached to them the love of Jesus and made them experience the tender care of the Heavenly Father by his self emptying life.

The selfless service that Kunjachan rendered to the voiceless masses of the society was indubitably equal to the inimitable service of Fr. Damien to the lepers in Molokoi and to that of St. Vincent De Paul who went in search of the forsaken people and the thrown away children of France. Kunjachan with effortless ease, followed the footsteps of his master Jesus, who had a soft corner in his heart for the sinners and tax collectors of the time..........

Even while alive the Servant of God was considered to be blessed with certain miraculous powers. Students approached him to secure victory in the examinations, farmers to save their crops from pernicious insects, women for safe delivery and so on. After death, reports of favours received, have been flowing in not only from the different states of India but also from Europe, America and other countries. A few of them are given below:

I am a poor farmer. I was facing acute water scarcity. So I decided to dig a well. The digging starteed and it continued down to 40 feet. But there was no hope of water. I was terribly disappointed. So much of human labour gone to waste! It was then I received the novena and picture of ‘Kunjachan’. I earnestly sought his intercession. I continued the digging the next day also. But no trace of water was found. I dug a small pit at the centre of the well and left for lunch. I came back-to continue my work after a few hours. The sight I saw then filled me with joy. I found the small pit covered with water. I believe that it was Kunjachan’s intercession that made me possible to have a good well. I will ever remain grateful to Kunjachan.

Bosco P.V.

Puthussery House

Thottathady P.O.

Karnataka State - 574 228

7th May, 1988.

We were running short of vocations in this province of ours. I prayed to Rev. Fr. Augustine Kuzhumpil (Kunjachan) to bless us with good vocations. As a result of which this year an unprecedented number of aspirants have joined our province. I thank the Lord for the good things, he has done through Kunjachan.

Besides this, we have received one more blessing through the intercession of Kunjachan. It was harvesting time. Hay worth Rs.4000 was going to be lost due to heavy rain. I prayed to Kunjachan earnestly. He heard my prayer and not a drop of water fell from the skies. We were able to dry the hay and make a beautiful rick. I than the Lord and Kunjachan for these blessings.

Sister Bruno

Carmelite Convent

Palghat

30th June, 1987.

We were not blessed with a child even after thirteen years of married life. The advice of the doctors we visited or the medicine they prescribed were of no help to us. Our dream could not be fructified even with the help of a surgeon’s scalpel. Our days were filled with resentment and frustration. It was during one of these miserable days we heard of Kunjachan. We promised to visit his tomb and to collect money by begging for a Holy Mass and an Office for him. To our great surprise and joy my wife became pregnant that month itself. Our joy was redoubled when she gave birth to a boy. Now our child is seven years old and he is studying in the second standard. He is cleverer than the ordinary children. We firmly believe that it was with the intercession of the Servant of God Kunjachan, we have been able to get this child. We thank Kunjachan for his great mercy on us.

Philip Mary

Karimpil

Areekamala P.O.

Naduvil (via)

Kannoor (Dt)

4th September, 1988

I am a Malayalee working in Muscut, My wife is also employed here. We constantly face the threat of losing our job. So, when we came to Ramapuram during our last holidays we prayed at the tomb of Kunjachan to bless us with stability in our jobs. Our prayers were soon heard. Last month our company sent away all the employees. Only I was allowed to remain. I believe that my company showed this favour towardes me only because of Kunjachan’s help. Another day when we were returning home, we were delayed at the Bombay airport. Our luggage weighed 30 kg. more than was permissible. If I had been caught, I would have been forced to pay Rs.1300 as customs duty. Unfortunately, I did not have that much money with me. I thought of Kunjachan for a moment and sought his help. To my great surprise, I was allowed to go scotfree. At the Cochin airport also I was allowed to go unmolested. I thank Kunjachan for his merciful interference on my behalf.

K.A. Mathew

P.O. Box 8762

Muttrah - Muscut

Sultanate of Oman

24th July, 1988.

I used to plant ginger for years. But my ginger cultivation was running from loss to loss due to the attack of mildew and other fungi. I was gravely worried. When Kunjachan was alive I used to seek his blessings against pests. Now in my moment of desperation, my thoughts naturally turned to Kunjachan himself. I began to pray to him and promised to pay Rs.5 for the cause of Kunjachan. That year I had bumper crop of ginger. Not even a single stem of ginger was affected by Mildew. Now two years have passed and I am happy to say that Kunjachan has guarded my ginger crop. I pray earnestly for the canonization of Kunjachan.

Kuriakose Kandathil

Nadavayal

Kayakunnu P.O.

Vayanadu

For years I had been suffering from a kind of malignant growth in my breast. I was treated in many hospitals and even two operations were performed on my breast. But every now and then a swelling appeared in my breast and it burst causing me intolerable pain. Once swelling appeared adn as usual it burst, but did not heal. I spent many sleepless days. It was then I received the "prayer" of Kunjachan. I began to recite the prayer regularly. On the third day, quite miraculously, the score in my breast was healed. Now I am perfectly O.K. I thank Kunjachan for his intercession and continue to pray to him to protect me from that dreaded disease.

Thresiamma George

Kanchukulathil House

Marangattupilly.

I was born to a por Ezhava family. I always used to think of God and his love for me. Slowly I was attracted to Christ and eventually I became a Christian. I was involved in an accident sometime before 1975. I was admitted in the Medical College at Calicut and treated for nearly three years by the best doctors there. But there was no absolute cure for my ailments. It was then some one told me about Kunjachan and his miraculous powers. I began to seek his intercession fervently. On the second day of prayer, I saw in my dream a resplendent gleam. In that gleam, I felt a voice advising me syaing "You go to that person and you will be healed." I did and I was so healed.

After my cure, I bought an acre of land and planted rubber there. My rubber plants were the worst in the area. I prayed to Kunjachan and promised to pay the amount equivalent to the yield of the first week of tapping. My rubber plants grew well and tapping began after six years. Now I send the promised amount to Kunjachan. I also send the amount for a Holy Mass and also for the Office for the dead. I will ever remain grateful to Kunjachan for his favours.

Joseph Parathazhathu

Mattanadu P.O.

Calicut Dt.

It happened on 22nd September, 1986. As usual, in the morning of that day, I was standing on the wayside to catch bus to go to college. Then a bus, in its bid to overtake another, knocked me down and my left leg was crushed by the front wheel of the bus. I was soon hospitalized. The doctors opined that they would have to amputate my leg. Still, hoping against hope, they tried to save my leg with the help of operations. Five or six operations were performed. Everyone prayed for me. The doctors said that a bone must be removed by another operation and they asked me to get ready for it on 29th December, 1987. My father promised to pray at the tomb of Kunjachan for nine first Sundays. The nine Sundays were over and when my wound was examined, the bone which the doctors proposed to remove was found lying outside. They could easily remove it without an operation. The doctors said that yet another operation was necessary as my bones lacked the strength to support my body. I prayed at the tomb of Kunjachan for three Sundays. Then I went to the hospital. The doctors, on examination, found that my bones were strong enough and no operation was necessary. Still I could not keep my heel erect on the ground. So the doctors advised me to undego another operation. Now I have come to the tomb of Kunjachan to save me from one more operation.

Beena Varkey

Chackanal

Purapuzha P.O.

I am relating an incident which happened nearly seven years ago. It was a rainy day. All the streams and rivulets in our place were flooded with water. There was a brook near our house. It was rocky at the bottom and the water in it flowed violently jumping from one boulder to another. My children, Joshy and Elsamma could not resist the call of the babbling brook. Stealthily, they got out of the house and began to swim in the book. But soon Joshy came running into the house and gasped out that she had lost her goldern chain in the water. I was dismayed. How could one go for searching for a chain in a flood fo roaring waters! I prayed to Kunjachan to help me. I promised to give him a portion of the chain if I got it. But, my search was a disappointing failure. Months passed. The monsoon was over. The brook became dry. Suddenly I thought of searching for the chain again. My son also accompanied me in the search. I dug up the sand here and there near the brook. The chain could not be found anywhere. Having lost all hope, I traced my way back home. Still, my son continued the search. After some time, his fry of joy reached my ears. The chain was found in the mud near the bank of the brook. I give to Kunjachan a portion of the chain and thank him for his kindness.

Thomas Vadakedam

Neeramthanam

Kunjachan used to set out regularly in a diary his work and problems. The diary form 17th August 1930 to 16th August 1931 is available for perusal. A few typical extracts are given below to illustrate the actual engagements of Kunjachan.

"Rose at half past four, went to the church at 5 morning. Heard the confession of about 40 Harijans. Eight persons were baptised. The service in the church lasted till about 1 p.m. Paid one rupee to Kunnappilly Devasia towards the purhcase to two bells, a stick and a scriber, Catechist Joseph was deputed to Pizhaku to attend upon the Harijans there".

"Rose at four in the morning and offered mass at 6 p.m. after hearing confessions. Recited the morning prayer of the Breviary. Went for a funeral near Uzhavoor along with catechists Joseph and Xavier. Went over to Uzhavoor, Veliyannoor and other places accompanied by Joseph and Xavier"

"Rose at four in the morning. Offered mass at 5.30. Recited the morning prayer. Heard confessions. By 8 a.m. went over to places liked Kontatu and Koodappalam. Visited the Harijan homes at Vengakkel, Vanikkayanikkalpadavu, and Kalappali nirappu. The residents at Kalappally Nirappu were Christened and named then and there, at their own houses. Another was baptised at his workspot. Catechists Devasia and Devasia Natayanchalil were with us. The house of the latter was blessed. We returned for lunch by 3 p.m."

"Rose at 4.15 a.m. Offered mass at 5.15. Recited the canonical morning prayers. Assisted at Raza. Heard confessions, went to Pizhaku by 11 a.m. Saw Anna and others. Christened a boy Ouseph. He was given a medal. Though we went to Manathur the parish priest was not there. Returned by 3 p.m. and had lunch. Went to the paddy fields of Kudathinal family for administering blessing against pests.

"Rose at 4.15 a.m. Offered mass at 5 a.m. Recited canonical morning prayer. Heard confessions. Went to Uzhavoor at 7 a.m. Received three members into the church. Returned at half past four. Had gone to the Uzhavoor parish church.

Had no lunch; had a tender coconut only for the day. Catechists Joseph and Ouseph of Kalppallil Nirappel were with us. On our way back, called on a sick person at Natayamchal. Paid 7 chackrams to Ouseph Kalappilly Nirappel for taking him to Uzhavoor."

"Rose at 4.30 a.m. Offered mass at 5.15. Recited canonical morning prayers. Heard confessions. Reached Kurichithanam at 8 a.m. via Uzhavoor. Returned immediately as there were no priests there. Met the new Christains of the Elavumkal family. Returned here by 5 p.m. after visiting the houses of Kalappally Nirappu, Varikkanikkapadavu, Kozhikkottu. Took a tender coconut enroute for 1 Chackram".

"Rose at 3.45 a.m. Offered mass at 4.15. Recited Canonical prayer by 6 a.m. Went to Kastappalam, Uzhavoor Kurichithanam and other places. Received theree pulaya children in the service of the Pallikkunnel family into the church. Heard the confession of Pathrose Chulivelil. Had lunch at Kurichitthanam church. Had a tender coconut from Pallikkunnel. Returned by 6 p.m.".