Blessed Augustine Thevarparampil
Blessed Augustine Thevarparampil Kunjachan (born August 1, 1891 AD in Ramapuram, Kerala, India; died October 16, 1973 AD in Ramapuram, Kerala, India) was an Indian Syro-Malankara Catholic priest known as "Kunjachan" (meaning "little father") who devoted his priestly life to the service of the marginalized Dalit communities of Kerala. A priest of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome), he worked among the outcaste and Dalit communities, providing them with spiritual care, schools, and social uplift for over four decades. He was beatified by Pope Francis on December 1, 2021, at a ceremony in Changanacherry, Kerala, India. His feast day is October 16.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Augustine Thevarparampil
| Blessed Augustine Thevarparampil | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 16 |
| Profession | Syro-Malankara Catholic priest; pastor of the poor and Dalit communities; educator; founder of schools; "Kunjachan" (little father); Apostle to the Marginalized of Kerala |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (Eastern Catholic); Kerala Saint Thomas Christian tradition; Archeparchy of Changanacherry; Indian Catholic social apostolate |
| Patronage | Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; Ramapuram; Kottayam district |
| Attributes | Syro-Malankara priestly vestments; a simple village setting (Ramapuram); Dalit children or poor persons (those he served); a cross; Kerala landscape (coconut palms, rice paddies) |
| Birthplace | Ramapuram, Kerala, India |
| Death Place | Ramapuram, Kerala, India |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died October 16, 1973, in Ramapuram, Kerala, India; he was 82 years old; he died in the same village where he was born, having spent his entire priestly life serving the poor, the sick, and the marginalized Dalit communities of Kerala; he had served as a Syro-Malankara Catholic priest for over fifty years; at his death he was already regarded as a saint by the people who knew him; he was buried at the church in Ramapuram, which became a place of pilgrimage; he was beatified by Pope Francis on December 1, 2021, at a ceremony in Changanacherry, Kerala, India, presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro as papal legate |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Ramapuram, Kottayam, Kerala, India — his tomb; October 16 feast; Kerala pilgrimage |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; October 16 feast in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and in Kerala |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Augustine Thevarparampil was born August 1, 1891, in Ramapuram, Kerala, India. He was ordained a priest of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church — an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome that uses the West Syriac (Antiochene) rite.
He spent his entire priestly life in Ramapuram, serving the local population and particularly the marginalized Dalit communities who were socially excluded by the traditional caste system. He became known as "Kunjachan" — "little father" — for his humble, direct pastoral presence.
He established schools for Dalit children, visited the sick and poor, and brought the sacraments to those on the margins of society. He served for over fifty years in this ministry.
He died October 16, 1973, in Ramapuram, at age 82.
He was beatified by Pope Francis on December 1, 2021, at a ceremony in Changanacherry, Kerala, presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro — the first beatification from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Ramapuram, Kerala, India
Death location: Ramapuram, Kerala, India
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of Ramapuram, Kottayam District, Kerala, India — his tomb and primary shrine; October 16 feast; Kerala pilgrimage.
Feast day
October 16
Veneration
Blessed Augustine Thevarparampil "Kunjachan" (1891–1973) was an Indian Syro-Malankara Catholic priest who devoted fifty years to the poorest and most marginalized Dalit communities of Ramapuram, Kerala — a village priest of extraordinary holiness who never left his people. The first blessed of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Beatified Francis, Changanacherry, 2021. Feast October 16.
Prayers
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