Bl. Thevarparampil Kunjachan (Fr. Augstin Thevarparampil)

Fr. Augustine, the Servant of God, whose parents were Itty Iype and Eliswa, was born on 1st April 1891, in Thevarparampil house, which was a branch of the ancient Kuzhumpil family. Among the five children born to those parents, Augustine was the youngest

It is the singular achievement of Kunjachan that he had been able to baptise by himself no less than 5000 Dalits. He is to be counted as one of the foremost missionaries among the Dalits in India. In fact, he neither made use of eloquent sermons nor of any human techniques in order to give them the " Christ" of whom he was the herald. He preached with his works, practising charity, and always sublime and more dedicated.

Kunjachan led a very simple life for the poor and wished to be with them even after death. He spent everything he had for the poor. The Blessed who was a priest for more than 50 years, wrote in his Testament: "I do not possess anything either as landed property or as cash account.... After my death, my funeral must be conducted in the most simple way. Ever since 1926, I had been staying with the Harijan (Dalit) Christians. Even after death, I would like to be with them. Therefore my dead body should be buried where the Harijan Christians are buried".

Fr Augustine is the fourth in the Syro-Malabar Church to be declared as Blessed.
Sr Alphonsa of Bharanaganam, Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara  and Mother Mariam Thresia of Irinjalakuda are the others

Apostle of the Delits (Harijans)
Born	1 April 1891 Ramapuram, Kerala, India
Died	16 October 1973(1973-10-16) (aged 82) Ramapuram, Kerala, India
Servant of GOD	11th  Aug 1987
Venerated	22nd June 2004 by Pope John Paul II
Beatified	30 April 2006, Ramapuram by Mar Varkey Vithayathil on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI
Feast	16 October
Diocese	Pala

http://www.blessedkunjachan.org/Home.htm