Thrissur: Mariam Thresia and four others were declared Saints by Pope Francis at a grand ceremony at Vatican City on Sunday. Several nuns and priests of Thrissur Archdiocese and Irinjalakuda Diocese along with thousands of devotees thronged Kuzhikkattussery Shrine here at Puthanchira to take part in holy mass and special prayers which were held on the occasion of Canonisation of Mother Mariam Thresia Chiramel.

   Mariam Thresia worked as a family Apostolate and broke conventions as a woman who stretched her boundaries to enter social work nearly a century ago. This is a proud movement for us, said Fr. Kavungal. Mother Mariam Thresia who passed away at an age of 50 in 1926 is from Puthanchira village in Mala near Irinjalakuda. She was born in Christian family and she started her social work at an age of 16 by taking care of those affected by the dreaded epidemic Herpes disease.