ST EUPHRASIA ELUVATHINGAL, VIRGIN - 29 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 29th of August

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST EUPHRASIA ELUVATHINGAL, VIRGIN 

St Euphrasia was born Rosa Eluvathingal on October 17, 1877 in Kattoor, Irinjalakuda, Kerala, India. She was the eldest child of the landowner Cherpukaran Antony and his wife Kunjethy. She was baptised on October 25, 1877. 

AN APPARITION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

An apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary led her to make a commitment never to marry, giving her entire life to God. As she grew older, Rosa was received as a postulant at the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel, who follow the Rule of the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites, taking the name Sister Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

HER SOLEMN PROFESSION

She made her solemn profession on May 24, 1900 at St Mary's Convent, Ollur or Chinna Roma. For the first few years, she was Novice Mistress of the congregation, and became Mother Superior afterwards. 

SHE ALWAYS REMAINED KIND AND PRAYERFUL

Plagued by illness, especially rheumatism, St Euphrasia always remained kind and prayerful. Very devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, she spent much of her day in the convent chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. She also nourished a great love and devotion for the Virgin Mary. 

St Euphrasia died on August 29, 1952 at St Mary's Convent. Her tomb has become a pilgrimage site, and numerous miracles have been reported by the faithful.

HER PRAYERS ARE INVOKED AGAINST CHRONIC PAIN AND AGAINST TUMOURS

St Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Eluvathingal was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on December 3, 2006 and canonised by Pope Francis on November 23, 2014. St Euphrasia's prayers are invoked against rheumatism and chronic pain, and also against both benign and malignant growths.