Antony Thachuparambil

Antony Thachuparambil (8 December 1894 – 9 June 1963), popularly known as the Missionary of Chelakkara was an Indian Syro-Malabar priest and social reformer who worked in the backward area of Chelakkara, Thrissur District, Kerala, India. He was declared Servant of God by the Holy See for his Heroic Virtues in 2009.

Antony Thachuparambil was born on 8 December 1894 in Kottat, a suburban village of Chalakudy in Kerala to Poulose and Rosa. He had his early schooling in Chalakudy Government High School and college education in St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli. He continued his pastoral education at Mary Matha Major Seminary, Thrissur and was ordained on 22 Dec 1924.

Thachuparambil started his career in 1928 as the first Chaplain of Chelakkara, a backward forest area in Thrissur. There, he worked among the poor and he built St. Mary’s Forane Church, a school for girls (Little Flower Girls High School), a destitute home for children which was later renamed Fr. Antony Balabhavan, a convent for nuns, Little Flower Conventand a health clinic which later grew to become Jeevodaya Mission Hospital.

Thachuparambil's contributions for the overall development of Chelakkara, reportedly irrespective of the caste, creed or colour, were considered by the Roman Catholic Church when deciding upon initiation of his canonization process. Paul Pulikkan was appointed the postulator and as the first step towards canonization, Antony Thachuparambil was declared Servant of God by the Roman Catholic Church on 9 December 2009. Thachuparambil is said to be credited with several miracles which are being considered and verified by Roman Catholic Church.

Shalom Television aired a documentary on the life of Thachuparambil as an episode under their series, Saints Town in 2015.