From correspondents in Delhi, India, 04:31 PM IST

The Indian government will issue a commemorative coin in honour of Sister Alphonsa, who will be canonized by the Pope as a Saint at the Vatican Sunday, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced Saturday.

The commemorative coin will be released Aug 19, 2009, at the beginning of Alphonsa's birth centenary year.

Alphonsa is the first Indian to be canonised by the Catholic church. She belonged to the Poor Franciscan Clarist Congregation in Kerala.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)