India gets its first woman saint

[Coventina]

Source: BBC

A Catholic nun, Sister Alphonsa, has been made India's first female saint, at an event presided over by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

The canonisation was greeted with delight by Christians in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where Sister Alphonsa lived until her death in 1946.

It is being described as a boost to the spirits of India's Christians.

A number of people have been reported killed recently in Hindu attacks on Christian communities in India.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7666158.stm

[Billy Burnett]

1. Good. Now peace will come to India.

:eyes:

[msongs]

2. maybe the new orleans saints could visit india to increase the saint count nt

[lovuian]

3. All I can say is its about time to give the Sister her due

India is a powder keg right now

[soothsayer]

4. cool ! what were her miracles?

[Coventina]

5. Apparently healing the sick. n/t

[AnotherGreekDemocrat]

6. Glad the Catholic Church recognized an Indian woman

Maybe, it's just me.. But it kind of bothered me that the BBC article didn't mention that India already has a long tradition of Hindu and Muslim Saints that are women, like Mirabai and Amma ('the hugging saint'). It struck me like old fashioned euro centrism, as if India had finally produced a woman saint after thousands of years. Sad, about the violence against christians in India. There's also a bitter tradition of religious violence in India. Unfortunately: Hindus, Moslem's, Buddhists, and Christians have all committed acts of violence against other religious groups, at one time or another in that country.

[pallab5]

7. True

That's a wonderful point. You have to respect this woman's dedication and it's great that her religion has recognized her work. But, it's disheartening to see her being described as 'India's first female saint', when there is an incredibly long lineage of Hindu female saints. You mentioned Ma Mirabai. There is also Aandaal, one of the great 12 saints of Tamil Vaishnavism, who lived close to a thousand years ago. It's just extremely disappointing to see that aspect of history being ignored. Still, this is a notable event and I wish well for the Christians in India.