Pope canonizes Indian nun

Published: Oct. 12, 2008 at 3:09 PM

KERALA, India, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI Sunday formally canonized Sister Alphonsa as the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church.

The nun, who died in 1946 at the age of 35 after a series of illnesses, was canonized in a ceremony at the Vatican while thousands of worshippers surrounded her tomb in India at Barnanganam near Kottayam, Press Trust of India reported.

The miracle attributed to her, and approved by the Vatican for her canonization, was the healing of the club foot of a baby in 1999, Press Trust reported, noting thousands of people makes annual pilgrimages to her tomb.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Changing doctor pay best bet to curb costs (22 min)
RadioShack seeking new headquarters (24 min)
Scientists find link between cancer genes (37 min)
Study: U.S. climate still changing (60 min)
UPI NewsTrack Business
Jobless claims drop in week
Gorilla blood pressure device created
fark
Unknown substance found on NJ Transit train. Probably cleanser
90% of students at City University of New York can't do basic algebra. So, you know...just like...
"Main Street merchants want crack at market" in Santa Monica, says poorly worded headline. Presumably...
14-year-old boy attacked by cougar, police say. His girlfriend isn't amused
"Spiritualist" police trainer who called for the British police to include mediums and psychics...
First Paragraph: Police say a Twin Lake man broke into a woman's mobile home last week, pulled out...