Zacarias of Saint Teresa

Father Zacarías arrived at the Saint Joseph Pontifical Seminary in Puthempally on November 20, 1912. When this institution was transferred to Alwaye (Aluva), in the state of Kerala, he continued his mission there. For forty-five years, he dedicated himself entirely to the intellectual, theological, and spiritual formation of the indigenous Indian clergy. Appointed prefect of philosophy students in 1913 at the age of 26, he climbed the academic and pastoral ranks. In 1934, he became the spiritual director of the seminary, then vice-rector in 1945. At that time, the major seminary of Alwaye hosted more than 700 seminarians belonging to the three Catholic rites present in India (Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara), as well as various religious congregations. In 1955, he was appointed director of the newly separated philosophy section, a position he held until his death. Alongside his teaching of dogmatic theology and the history of ancient cultures, Father Zacarías was passionate about the study of Hinduism, becoming a recognized expert in Hindu philosophy. At the request of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), he wrote several reference works, including a five-volume treatise titled Estudios sobre el hinduismo and his last book, Outlines of Hinduism (1956), intended to serve as a textbook in the country's seminaries. In 1924, he founded the association "Sacred Heart Conversion League" (Liga de Conversión del Sagrado Corazón), dedicated to prayer, penance, and the distribution of doctrinal and spiritual formation pamphlets. He was also a theologian at the first plenary council of India and apostolic commissioner for the Discalced Carmelite Tertiaries of the Latin rite.

Father Zacarías distinguished himself by his profound contemplative life, his humility, and his boundless charity. Nicknamed the "refuge of sinners" because of his great availability for the sacrament of reconciliation and spiritual accompaniment, he welcomed without distinction both Christians and non-Christians who came to seek his counsel and material aid. In 1957, at the age of 69, he was diagnosed with an abdominal tumor. Transferred to the hospital in Vellore (Christian Medical College Hospital, Tamil Nadu) to undergo surgery, he bore his illness with heroic patience, abandoning himself totally to the divine will. He passed away on May 23, 1957, in Vellore. His solemn funeral gathered an immense crowd of bishops, priests, religious, and seminarians. Initially buried in Mangalappuzha, his remains were transferred on June 8, 2000, to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Manjummel.

The cause for the beatification and canonization of Father Zacarías was introduced in the Archdiocese of Verapoly (India). The diocesan inquiry took place from January 14, 1984, to May 23, 1987, supplemented by a rogatory process conducted in the Diocese of Bilbao (Spain). After the validation of the diocesan inquiry on February 21, 1992, and the publication of the Positio in 2000, the file was examined by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. On January 27, 2014, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable.

The spirituality of the Venerable Zacarías of Saint Teresa rests on the intimate alliance between Carmelite contemplation and missionary action. Convinced that the future of the Church in India rested on its own children, he adopted the motto: 'India, your sons will bring you salvation.' A pioneer of inculturation and interreligious dialogue, he knew how to build bridges between the Christian faith and the philosophical richness of Hinduism, promoting a theology respectful of local cultures. His legacy endures through the generations of Indian priests he trained, who have shaped the face of the contemporary Church in India.