High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! He was born on 1 January 1916 in the parish of Thamarakunnu (Chirakkadavu), Kanjirappally and was christened Michael. His parents, Varghese Puthupparampil and Accamma Karipaparambil had an ancestral lineage of illustrious people. Their family history starts from Nilakal (Chayal), one of the seven churches founded by the Apostle, St. Thomas. Nilakal was a flourishing trade-centre where merchants from China, Arabia, Palestine, Rome and Greece used to come to purchase the hill produce, the spices, ivory and sandal. St. Thomas preached the gospel and formed the early Christian Community. After staying for a year, he proceeded to Mylapore where he was martyred in 73AD.