Kuriakose (Cyriac) Chavara was born in 1805, of pious and devout catholic parents of Syro-Malabar Church, in Kainakary, Kerala, India. In baptism he was given the name Kuriakose (Cyriac). After his early schooling in the native village and priestly studies under Fr.Thomas Palackal at Pallippuram, he was ordained priest in 1829.
Co-operating with Fathers Thomas Palackal and Thomas Porukara, he founded the indigenous religious congregation for men, (1831) now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
(C.M.I). It was after the death of the senior companions in the foundation that Fr.Kuriakose with the first members, made the religious profession in 1855. In religion he took the name Kuriakose Elias of the Holy Family.Starting
seven religious houses, besides the first one at Mannanam, in different
parts of Malabar, the new congregation made great strides in a spiritual
renovation in the Church of Malabar. Seminaries for the education and
formation of clergy, introduction of annual retreats for priests and
people, a publishing house for the propagation of Catholic doctrine, a
house for the dying and destitute, special attention to catechumens,
schools for general education, were among the few of various activities
under Father Kuriakose Elias' leadership. Many valuable improvements in
the Syro-Malabar liturgy are largely to his credit. In 1866, with the
co-operation of Fr. Leopold Beccaro OCD, he started the Congregation of the
Mother of Carmel (C.M.C) for women. A schism threatened the church in the
area in 1861, creating a very critical situation. Kuriakose Elias Chavara,
then Vicar General of the Syro-Malabar Church, is gratefully remembered
and acknowledged by the then and later leaders of the church and by the
catholic community in general, for his strenuous fight, strong stance and
effective leadership in thwarting Thomas Rochos' intrusion and saving the
church in Malabar from schism.
Amidst his diverse and manifold activities he found time and leisure to write a few books, both prose and verse for the benefit of the faithful. His counsels to the Christian families given in the form a "Testament of a Loving Father" are universally applicable and are relevant to this day. Essentially a man of prayer and intense charity, he stayed in close communion with the Lord amidst his several religious and social activities permeating his spirituality to all around him, so much so that he was accepted and referred to as a man of God, from his early years.
In 1871, on January 3rd, Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara after a short but painful illness, died at Koonammavu preserving his baptismal innocence. His mortal remains were later transferred from Koonammavu to Mannanam in 1889 and are piously kept in St. Joseph's Monastery.
The diocesan process for his beatification was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Changanacherry on January 3rd, 1958 at the request of the late Rev. Fr. Maurus CMI the then Prior General.
The Sacred Congregation having scrutinized the writings of the Servant of God and other relevant documents formally introduced the cause on March 15th 1980. On April 7, 1984, Pope John Paul II solemnly declared the heroic virtues of the Servant of God thus elevating him to the status of Venerable. On February 8, 1986 during his historic visit to Kottayam, Kerala, Pope John Paul II raised venerable Servant of God Kuriakose Elias Chavara to the honours of the Altar declaring him "BLESSED".