https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Francis_AcharyaFrancis Acharya - Revision history2026-07-31T10:17:17ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Francis_Acharya&diff=499324&oldid=prevKaurjenni51 at 04:12, 9 April 20252025-04-09T04:12:04Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Belgian-born Indian monk}}<br />
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{{Infobox saint<br />
|honorific_prefix= Servant of God<br />
|name = Francis Acharya<br />
|honorific_suffix = [[Trappists|O.C.S.O.]]<br />
|birth_name = Jean-Richard Mahieu<br />
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1912|1|17|df=yes}}<br />
|death_date = {{death date and age|2002|1|31|1912|1|17|df=yes}}<br />
|feast_day = <br />
|venerated_in = {{unbulleted list|Roman Catholic Church|[[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]]}}<br />
|image = <br />
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|birth_place = [[Ypres]], Belgium<br />
|death_place = [[Thiruvalla]], [[Pathanamthitta]], India<br />
|titles = Monk<br />
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'''Francis Acharya''' (born '''Jean Richard Mahieu'''; 17 January 1912 &ndash; 31 January 2002) was a Belgian-born Indian [[Cistercian]] monk. In 1998, he founded the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church|Syro-Malankara rite]] [[Kristiya Sanyasa Samaj, Kurisumala Ashram]] in Kerala, India. He was later affiliated to the [[Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance|Trappist Order]].<br />
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== Early life ==<br />
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Jean Richard Mahieu was born on 17 January 1912 in [[Ypres]], Belgium to a farming family. He was the fifth son of the seven children of René Mahieu and Anée Vandelanotte.<ref>[http://www.kurisumalaashram.in/our-founders/ ''Kurisumala Ashram'' official website]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cistopedia.org/index.php?id=9116 | title=Cistercian persons and terms: Acharya, Francis }}</ref><br />
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== Foundation of Kurisumala Ashram ==<br />
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Francis Mahieu later changed his name to Francis Acharya<ref>[https://www.keralabackwater.com/vagamon/kurisumala-ashram.html Kerala Backwater website]</ref> and on 6 August 1968, he took Indian citizenship.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/traveller/destinations/vagamon_gor_the_love_of_outdoors/ |title=Vagamon: For the Love of Outdoors|website=outlookindia.com |date=21 March 2017 }}</ref> Later the same month Griffiths, after ten years in Kurisumala Ashram, left for Shantivanam with two brothers, Anugrah and Ajit, to take over that ashram from Swami [[Abhishiktananda]].<ref>[https://www.oblatesofshantivanam.yolasite.com/kurisumala-and-shantivanam-fr-francis-acharya.php ''Oblates of Shantivanam'' website]</ref><br />
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==Writings==<br />
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Acharya traveled to Iraq and procured original Syriac prayers of the Antiochean rite (the Penqito). Over nearly two decades, he translated selected portions into four volumes totaling 2300 pages, named ''Prayer with the Harp of the Spirit'', with certain adaptations to Indian culture.<ref>[http://www.kurisumalaashram.in/our-founders/ ''Kurisumala Ashram'' official website]</ref> (Harp of the Spirit was the name given to Saint Ephraim).<br />
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Published books include;<br />
*Cistercian Spirituality<ref>[https://www.litpress.org/Products/Search?query=Francis%20Acharya&filter=all ''Litergital Press'' websigte]</ref><br />
*Memorable Words of Life for Everyone trying to lead the Good Life<ref>[https://www.ia800702.us.archive.org/15/items/MemorableWordsOfLifeForEveryoneTryingToLeadTheGoodLifeByFr.FrancisAcharyaOCSO/Memorable%20Words%20of%20Life%20For%20Everyone%20Trying%20to%20Lead%20%20the%20Good%20Life%20%20By%20Fr.%20Francis%20Acharya%20OCSO.pdf ''Memorable Words'' online]</ref><br />
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== Final days ==<br />
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Acharya died at Tiruvalla on the morning of 31 January 2002, after receiving [[Holy Communion]]. His body was kept until 4 February at [[Pushpagiri Medical College, Thiruvalla]].<br />
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He is currently a candidate for beatification.<ref>{{cite web |title=2002 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/2002.htm#Mahieu |access-date=2 December 2019 |website=Hagiography Circle}}</ref><ref>[http://newsaints.faithweb.com/without_nulla.htm New Saints website, Retrieved 2023-06-06]</ref><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== Bibliography ==<br />
* Marthe Mahieu-De Praetere: ''Francis Mahieu Acharya, un pionnier du monachisme chrétien en Inde'', Abbaye de Scourmont (cahiers scourmontois N°3), 2001, 384pp.<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.catholicate.net Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]<br />
* [http://kurisumalaashram.in/our-founders/ ''Kurisumala Ashram'' official website]<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Acharya, Francis}}<br />
[[Category:1919 births]]<br />
[[Category:2002 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from Ypres]]<br />
[[Category:People from Thiruvalla]]<br />
[[Category:Belgian Cistercians]]<br />
[[Category:Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]]<br />
[[Category:Belgian Roman Catholic clergy]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Roman Catholics]]<br />
[[Category:Belgian emigrants to India]]<br />
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of India]]<br />
[[Category:Indian people of Belgian descent]]<br />
[[Category:People who lost Belgian citizenship]]<br />
[[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) alumni]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Christian monks]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian monks]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Christian monks]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century venerated Christians]]<br />
[[Category:Christian ashram movement]]</div>Kaurjenni51