Kuriakose Elias Chavara

• Kuriakose Elias Chavara is called the father of literacy in Kerala.


• He was the first to establish a printing press in Kerala without foreign support.


• It was started at Mannanam in Kottayam. Deepika, the oldest daily in Kerala was printed for the first time in this press (1887).


• He was the co-founder and first Prior General of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and of a similar one for women, the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel.


• He was born on 10th February 1805, at Kainakary in Alapuzha, the son of Iko (Kuriakose) Chavara and Mariam Thoppil.


• He was baptized on February 17, 1805, at Chennamkary Parish Church in Alappuzha.


• In his childhood, he attended the village school. There he studied language and elementary sciences.


• He entered the seminary in 1818 in Pallipuram where Father Thoma Palackal was the Rector. He was ordained on November 29, 1829, at Arthunkal and presided over the Holy Qurbana (Eucharist) for the first time at Chennamkary Church.


• Desirous of living in a religious community, Chavara joined with two other priests, Fathers Thoma Palackal and Thomas Porukara, in order to live in a community following Carmelite spirituality.


• The name of the community was the Servants of Mary Immaculate of Mount Carmel. The foundation for the first monastery at Mannanam was laid on May 11, 1831, and the trio took vows to form a religious community.


• Chavara took the additional name of “Elias”, from the Carmelite tradition of his having been their founder. Palackal and Porukara died in 1841 and 1846, respectively.


• Chavara became Vicar General for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in 1861.


• He defended the ecclesial unity of the Church, which was threatened by schism due to the consecration by Thomas Rochus of Nestorian bishops.


• He worked to renew the faith in the church. He was a man of prayer with a devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary.


• He was also a social reformer, an educationist and had played a major and significant role in educating women and people of lower sections of society.


• He first introduced the system called “A school along with every church” which was successful in making education and knowledge available to everyone for free. Thus schools in Kerala are also called ‘pallikudam’(‘palli’ means church).


• Chavara, in collaboration with Father Leopold Beccaro, O.C.D., founded the first native religious congregation for women in India, the Sisters of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C.), in 1866.


• Chavara died on 3rd January 1871, aged 65, at Koonammavu, of natural causes.


• Kuriakose Elias Chavara was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014 November.

Important questions

Who is known as "Father of literacy in Kerala" ? - Kuriakose Elias Chavara
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born on ? - 10 February 1805
The place where Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born at ? - Kainakary (Alappuzha)
Father name ? - Iko Kuriakose
Mother name ? - Mariyam Thoppil
The year which Kuriakose Elias Chavara become Priest at Arthunkal (Alappuzha) ? -1829
The founders of CMI(Carmelite of Mary Immaculate) ? - Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Malpan Thomas Porukara, Malpan Thomas Palackal
The year which CMI started in ? - 1831 at Mannanam (Kottayam)
India's first Christian Sanyasi Sabha ? - CMI
First Seminary started by Kuriakose Elias Chavara is at ? - Mannanam
The Year which Deepika printed from Mannanam press ? - 1887
Kuriakose Elias Chavara Started a Printing press at ? - Mannanam
First first book printed from Mannanam press ? - Jnanapeeyusham
The oldest daily in Kerala Deepika(1887) first time printed from? - Mannanam press
First Catholic Sanskrit School Started in ? - Mannanam (Kottayam) and Koonammavu (Ernakulam)
 Kuriakose Elias Chavara become Vice General for the Syro Malabar Catholic Church in? - 1861
The system called "A school along with every church" was introduced by ? - Kuriakose Elias Chavara

Kuriakose Elias Chavara's Mortal kept in ? - St Joseph Monastery (Mannanam)
The book "Chavara Achan: Oru Rekha Cithram" written by ? - K.C.Chacko
 A school along with every church" was introduced for ? - Give free education and knowledge for every one
The First Indigenous Congregation of women ? - CMC(Congregation of the Mothers of Carmel)
The year which CMC started in ? - 1866
In which year Kuriakose Elias Chavara Died in? - 3 January 1871(Koonammavu)
Important books of Kuriakose Elias Chavara ? -
1. Athmanuthapam,
2. Nalagamagale,
3. Anathasyayudae Rakthasakshyam,
4. Nalla Appante Chavarukal,
5. Dhyanasallapangal

Kuriakose Elias Chavara get the Status of Venerable in? - 1984 (John Pole second)Kuriakose Elias Chavara was Beatified on? - 1986 February 8 (John Pole second)

Kuriakose Elias Chavara was Canonized in ? - 23 November 2014
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was Canonized by ? - Pope Francis(St Peters Square)
The book "A Pearl Truly Indian" written by? - F.R.Thomas Panthaplackal
Who introduced PIDIYARI SYSTEM in Kerala? -Kuriakose Elias Chavara  
The book "Akashadeepangal Sakshi" written by ? - John Antony
The year which Indian Postal Department published postage stamp in the memory of Kuriakose Elias Chavara ?- 20 December 1987

The book "Jeevitham thanna Sandesham: Vishudha Chavarayuda Jeevitham "written by? - M.K.Sanu (biography of Kuriakose Elias Chavara)