Earlier on 9th July 1996 a commemorative postage stamp on ‘SISTER ALPHONSA’ was issued by India Post in Re 1 denomination .This stamp was released as an honour to Sister Alphonsa on her 50th Death Anniversary.
Another Postal stamp on Saint Alphonsa released
A postal stamp (Shown above in the Miniature sheet) on Saint Alphonsa, India's first woman saint, was released at a convention of the Syro Malabar Church here Sunday. Bishops of different diocese in Kerala and Delhi, led by Thrissur Archbishop Andrews Thazhathu, attended the ceremony. The central government has also decided to release a coin honouring Saint Alphonsa.
Sister Alphonsa becomes India's first woman saint on 12 October 2008
Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa became Saint Alphonsa after she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St Peter's Square here on Sunday, becoming the first Indian Catholic woman to be so anointed. The ceremony was attended by around 25,000 people of Indian origin - many waving Indian flags - as well as a large delegation from India. Alphonsa is the first woman saint of the Indian church, which claims 2,000 years of history. The final ceremony for the canonisation began with the holy relics of Alphonsa being presented to the Pope by Sister Celia, mother general of the Franciscan Clarist congregation - the congregation that Sister Alphonsa belonged to. Celia was accompanied by Vice Postulator Father Francis Vadakkel and former Kerala minister K M Mani, all holding lighted candles.
Sister Alphonsa was third in the number of four saints canonized Sunday. Gaetano Errico, born Oct 19, 1791, in Italy was canonized first. The second was Mary Bernard, born in Switzerland May 28, 1848. The third was Sister Alphonsa. She is the second saint from India to be canonised. In the 19th century, Saint Gonsalo Garcia, born in Vasai near Mumbai to an Indian mother and Portuguese father in 1556, was declared a saint.
Sister Alphonsa - A role model
St. Alphonsa was a poor Franciscan Clarist sister. While at home Annakutty’s eager desire was to join a poor congregation and she used to pray for it. Her desire to lead a hidden life in the service of the Lord was fulfilled when she joined the Clarist Convent at Bharananganam which was financially very poor at that time. She lived as a professed sister only for ten years and that too almost in sick bed. Alphonsa did not occupy any conspicuous position in the convent . She worked as a teacher only for one academic year. Though she was almost confined to bed and wanted to be unknown and hidden, her sanctity began to spread its fragrance even when she was alive.
Alphonsa’s room was very close to the school. She used to stand at the window of her room to see her little friends. When they saw her, they rushed up to her to see her charming innocent smile and also to request her prayers. Her little friends called her “our smiling sister.” After her death, it was the children of the convent school who started decorating her tomb and burning candles around it. Their small requests were granted and the little ones began to proclaim the good news of her powerful intercession. All the attempts of the elders to keep the children away from her tomb were in vain. Sr. Alphonsa’s own prayer is an example of her Franciscan littleness, humility and burning love. She prayed, “O Jesus hide me in the wound of Thy Sacred Heart.......Humiliate me until I am almost nothing; until I become a spark in the fire of the love burning in Thy Divine Heart.” Sr. Alphonsa wanted to lead a hidden life and remain unknown. Sr. Alphonsa gave a thought provoking piece of advice to the young sisters. She said “The leaves that lie at the foot of the plants rot away thus providing the food which makes the flowers grow. All see the flowers and rejoice but no one thinks of the decaying leaves that feed them. For us it is enough that we remain as those leaves for ever.” Her theology of littleness and humility is well expressed in the story of the decaying leaves, which allow the flowers to shine at the expense of its very existence.
Devotees unburden their needs anxieties and worries at the tomb of this humble sister who had cheered up the lives of many through her prayers, little acts of charity, small yet meaningful pieces of advice and her gentle smile during her short life. Now she is proclaiming to the world at large the greatness hidden in littleness.
Deep love and faith in Christ made Sr. Alphonsa consider her pain light compared to the perfect joy of heaven. Sincere suffering for Jesus and his Gospel will be rewarded a hundred fold. She lived for the future glory with God. She believed that in Him, who called her to this way of life, she” lives, dies and enters into eternal joy”. The Lord has raised her as His beloved daughter. Again the Lord has given us a good model in the person of St. Alphonsa
New Christmas stamp from Lithuania
Lithuania Post has issued two rather stamps for the festive Christmas period. Each marks Christmas and New Year respectively. The first stamp pictures a branch of a tree with red berries covered with snow. . The second stamp has an image of conifer’s branch covered with snow.
From Collection of Shrikant Parikh
Agra Fort - 28. November 2004
Breeds of Dog - 9 January2005
Flora & Fauna - 24 March 2005
