Fr. Abraham Kaippanplackal (1914–2014): Avirachan (as he was called at home) was born on 16 April 1914, as the youngest of the six children of Joseph and Thresia in the Kaippanplackal family at Kozhuvanal, in the diocese of Palai. He was baptized and named Abraham. Being the youngest, he was the predilected child of his parents. His mother, who was very devout and exemplary, and who was very fond of him brought him up in deep faith and in love of God. He passed the matriculation in 1930 at the age of 16. His desire to dedicate his life to God as a priest made him very fervent in spiritual practices as well as in church related activities and pious organizations. At the completion of his matriculation studies, he joined the St. Thomas minor seminary at Kottayam. After the first two years in the St. Thomas minor seminary at Kottayam, he was one among the first batch of seminarians to study philosophy and theology courses at St. Joseph pontifical Institute, Mangalappuzha, Aluva. Abraham was ordained priest on 21 December 1939, at Mangalappuzha Seminary by Bishop Mar James Kalassery and celebrated his first holy mass on 22 December 1939, in the seminary chapel.
