15 Facts About Francis Acharya

Francis Acharya was the fifth son of the seven children of Rene Mahieu and Anee Vandelanotte.

Francis Acharya had his early education and college studies in Brussels.

Francis Acharya asked his father's permission and was denied due to his father's strong opposition to such a vocation.

Francis Acharya received a new name, Francis, with Francis of Assisi as his chosen patron upon beginning his religious vocation.

Francis Acharya then did further theological studies at the University of Louvain in Belgium.

Francis Acharya made solemn vows in 1940 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1941.

Francis Acharya was interested in this work, although he was interested in working in Africa.

Francis Acharya was given permission to undertake a foundation by himself in India.

However, Scourmont had a daughter house in Wales and Francis was given the opportunity to go to this monastery on Caldey Island as its novice master.

Francis Acharya set sail for India and arrived in Bombay on 12 July 1955.

In Bombay Francis Acharya visited several ancient sites: Buddhist caves at Kanheri, the island of Elephanta, and Ajanta.

Francis Acharya spent about one year in the ashram at Shantivanam with Jules Monchanin and Swami Abhshiktananda; he considered this year to be a period of novitiate for him in India with the two earlier pioneers on the same path.

Francis Acharya traveled to Iraq and procured original Syriac prayers of the Antiochean rite.

In 1996, Francis Acharya went to Rome, together with Geevarghese Timotheos, to ask the General Chapter of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance to affiliate Kurisumala as a monastery of their order.

Francis Acharya died at Tiruvalla on the morning of 31 January 2002, after receiving Holy Communion.