Br. Raphaël Louis Rafiringa was born in Tananarive (Madagascar) on May 1, 1856.
His indefatigable missionary effort suffered as a result of two wars, one in 1883 and the other in 1895. All the missionaries having been chased from the island, Brother Raphaël confronted this difficult situation with a superhuman courage that was crowned with success. As a sign of their recognition of this, the French authorities decorated him with the Madagascan gold medal of merit. As a result of his remarkable literary effort, he was named a member of the Madagascan Academy. He died at Fianarantsoa on May 19, 1919.
On October 18, 1979, the Brothers of this great island requested of Pope John Paul II the introduction of the Cause of the Servant of God.
LASALLIAN LITURGICAL TEXT APPROVED
by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments