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{{Short description|Indian Catholic priest (1876–1929)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox saint
|honorific_prefix=[[Venerable]]
|name=Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar
|birth_date={{birth date|df=yes|1876|08|08}}
|death_date={{death date and age|df=yes|1929|10|05|1876|08|08}}
|image=Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar.jpg
|imagesize=
|caption=Venerable Varghese Payyappilly
|birth_place=Perumanur, [[Thevara]], [[Kingdom of Cochin]]
|death_place=[[Ernakulam]], Kingdom of Cochin<ref name="Vatican News"/>
|titles=
|attributes=
}}{{Christianity in India sidebar|state=collapsed}}
{{Nasrani people}}
'''Varghese Payyappilly''' was an Indian [[Syro-Malabar]] priest from [[Kerala]] and the founder of the congregation of [[Sisters of the Destitute]].<ref name="times">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/fr-varghese-payyappillis-elevation-to-the-venerable-to-be-declared-in-kerala-on-thurs/articleshow/63900745.cms|title=Syro – Malabar church: Fr Varghese Payyappilli's elevation to the 'Venerable' to be declared in Kerala on Thurs |first=Preetu |last=Nair |website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=20 November 2019|date=24 April 2018 }}</ref> He was declared [[Venerable]] by [[Pope Francis]] on 14 April 2018.<ref name="CNA">{{cite news|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/38212/syro-malabar-priest-among-sainthood-causes-advanced-by-pope|title=Syro-Malabar priest among sainthood causes advanced by pope|date=16 April 2018|publisher=Catholic News Agency|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/kerala-on-road-to-become-cradle-of-saints-state-to-create-a-holy-tourism-circuit-with-21-in-line-for-canonisation-4433369.html|title=Kerala on road to become 'Cradle of Saints'; state looking to create 'holy tourism circuit' with 21 in line for canonisation|website=Firstpost|date=16 April 2018 |access-date=20 November 2019}}</ref>

==Family==
Kathanar was born as Kunjuvaru on 8 August 1876 to Payyappilly Lonan and Kunjumariam in the Palakkappilly branch of Payyappilly Nasrani family at Perumanoor, [[Thevara]].<ref name=obit-priests>[http://www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org/obituary_priests.php Obituary – Priests], Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726035201/http://www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org/obituary_priests.php |date=26 July 2011 }}</ref> Payyappilly is an ancient [[Saint Thomas Christian]] family in India, baptized by [[Thomas the Apostle]] in the first century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mani |first=Thattunkal Zachariah |year=2016 |title=ThomaaSleehaayude Kerala ChristhavaSabha Onnaam Noottaandil |pages=14 |publisher=T.Z.Mani }}</ref> The word Payyappilly, translated as "beautiful building" or "beautiful house", is derived from the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] ܦܐܝܐ ''Payya'' "beautiful, radiant" and the [[Malayalam]] word പിള്ളി ''Pilly'', a variant of പള്ളി ''Pally'', "church, building". [[Mary Celine Payyappilly]] is another [[Servant of God]] from the Payyappilly family.<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/apr/10/journey-to-sainthood-mother-mary-celine-declared-servant-of-god-1799294.html|title=Journey to sainthood: Mother Mary Celine declared 'Servant of God'|date=10 April 2018|work=The New Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==Life==
Payyappilly was educated in the parish school at Perumanoor and at St. Albert's School, [[Ernakulam]]. He received his religious training from the Mangalapuzha Seminary at Puthenpally and the [[Papal Seminary]] at [[Kandy]], Sri Lanka. He was ordained a priest on 21 December 1907 and was known as Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar. He learned the [[Syriac language]] under the guidance of [[Aloysius Pazheparambil]].<ref name="soc" />

Payyappilly served as parish priest in [[Kadamakkudy]] (1909–11), [[Alangad]] (1911–13) and [[Arakuzha]] (1920–22). During his tenure in [[Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Arakuzha]] he began the St. Mary's Higher Secondary School there. His efforts transformed the parish and helped to solve many long-lasting family problems. He made some land purchases for the church, thus making it self-sufficient.<ref name="soc">Sr. Savio S.D., ''Springs of Compassion — Biography of the Servant of God Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly''</ref> He also purchased {{convert|12|acre|m2}} of land in [[M. C. Road]] for constructing [[St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Meenkunnam]].

He was manager of St. Mary's High School, [[Aluva]], [[Travancore]], between 1913–1920 and 1922–1929.<ref name="soc"/> According to [[Mar Joseph Parecattil]], who was a pupil at the time, the school was a seedbed of priestly vocations.<ref name=jp>Cardinal Joseph Parecattil, ''I as Seen by Myself — Autobiography of Cardinal Joseph Parecattil'', pp.128–138</ref>

Payyappilly served as a member of the Diocesan Council, as Director of Apostolic Union as well as Priests' Provident Fund. He was a good mediator and people approached him seeking solutions to their problems.<ref name=jp /> He was held in great honour by the church authorities and equally by the officials in the education department and government officers.<ref name="soc"/> His concern and care for the poor and the suffering were noted particularly in the way he helped the victims of a flood in 1924.<ref name=times/> He transformed his parish into a center for the homeless<ref name="Vatican News">{{cite news|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-04/pope-francis-angelo-amato-decrees-venerable.html|title=An Indian among 8 new Venerable Servants of God|date=14 April 2018|publisher=Vatican News|language=en}}</ref> and turned St. Mary's High School into a shelter for the suffering people and brought food for them in a hired boat.

==Sisters of the Destitute==
On 19 March 1927, Payyappilly founded the Sisters of the Destitute in Chunangamvely.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/A-home-of-love-care-and-support/article14488615.ece|title=A home of love, care and support|last=Banerjee|first=Ankush|date=14 July 2016|work=The Hindu|access-date=20 November 2019|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> This organisation was intended to continue what he saw as Christ's redemptive mission among the poor. He found abandoned people, brought them to the shelter of the Home for the Aged and nursed them. The S.D. was originally named ''Little Sisters of the Poor'' but in 1933 the name was changed to ''Sisters of the Destitute'' in order not to be confused with another congregation having the same title.<ref name="soc"/>

==Death==
[[File:Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly Funeral.jpg|thumb|Funeral of Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar on 6 October 1929]]
Payyappilly fell ill in September 1929 and eventually was hospitalised. He died of [[typhoid fever]] on 5 October 1929 and was buried in St. John Nepumsian Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Konthuruthy.<ref name="soc"/>

==Stages of canonization==
===Servant of God===
The Cause of the Beatification of Payyappilly was initiated on 25 August 2009. He was declared as [[Servant of God]] by [[Varkey Vithayathil]], [[Major Archbishop]] of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on 6 September 2009.

===Venerable===
In February 2011, his remains were exhumed, identified and transferred to a new tomb. The Miracle Tribunal that had been established to study the miraculous healing of Sr. Mercina through Payyappilly's intercession was closed in May 2012<ref name="Archdiocesan Tribunal Closing">{{cite news|url=http://www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org/docs/missom/68.pdf|title=Archdiocesan Tribunal Closing|date=November 2012|publisher=Ernakulam Missam|language=ml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514072529/http://www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org/docs/missom/68.pdf|archive-date=14 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Archdiocesan Tribunal was closed in November 2012.<ref name="Archdiocesan Tribunal Closing"/> His case was submitted to the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints]], [[Rome]], and on 14 April 2018 [[Pope Francis]] declared him "Venerable".<ref name="Vatican News"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Payyappilly family history.ogg|P. C. Paulose explains the origin of Palakkappilly branch of Payyappilly family
File:Dukrana of Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly.jpg|Members of Palakkappilly branch of Payyappilly family at the tomb of Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar during his 50th Dukrana on 5 October 1979
File:Kanjirappally Bishop Mathew Arackal at Tomb of Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly.jpg|[[Kanjirappally]] bishop Mar Mathew Arackal and Prasant Payyappilly Palakkappilly at the tomb of Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar during his 81st Dukrana
File:Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly Tomb.jpg|Tomb of Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar at St. John Nepumsian Syro-Malabar Church, Konthuruthy
File:Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar Tomb.jpg|New tomb with mortal remains of Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar after exhumation
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal bar|Saints|Christianity|India|Biography}}
{{Christianity in Kerala}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Payyappilly Palakkappilly, Varghese}}
[[Category:1876 births]]
[[Category:1929 deaths]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar priests]]
[[Category:Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly]]
[[Category:Founders of Catholic religious communities]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Kochi]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Indian Eastern Catholics]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Eastern Catholic Servants of God]]
[[Category:20th-century venerated Christians]]
[[Category:Venerated Catholics by Pope Francis]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Christian clergy]]

Varghese Payyappilly - Revision history

MaximilianGreenb: creating info - done