Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located at the small town of Velankanni
in the state of Tamil Nadu
in southern India
. The Roman Catholic Basilica
is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health
. Devotion to Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracle
s at different sites around where the Bacilica currently stands: the apparition of Mary and the Christ
Child to a slumbering shepherd
boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk
vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese
sailors from a violent sea storm.
Although all three apparitions ultimately resulted in the erection of a shrine
to our Lady, it was the promise of the Portuguese sailors that was the proximate cause of a permanent edifice being built at Velankanni. The chapel
was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8), the day of their safe landing. More than 500 years later, the nine-day festival and celebration is still observed and draws nearly 2 million pilgrim
s each year. The Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as the "Lourdes
of the East," is one of the most frequented religious sites in India
.
The construction of a chapel or church is attributed to the second apparition, not the first. This time, it is said, Mary appeared to a crippled boy (and also a son of a widow) in a place called Nadu Thittu. The boy is claimed to have offered her buttermilk and then be cured of his illness. The Catholics in the nearby town of Nagapattinam
are said to have built the first shrine after being informed of the incident.
in China to Colombo
was caught in a tempest in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors, then at the point of desolation, vowed to build a chapel in the name of the Virgin Mary wherever they could reach safety. The legends claim that the stormy sea became quiet and their ship reached the shore of Vailankanni on 8 September, the birthday of Mary. Fulfilling their vow, the Portuguese sailors put up a chapel at Vailankanni by transforming the earlier thatched chapel. On their next visit, the Portuguese decorated the altar with porcelain plates illustrating Biblical themes.
in 1771 when Catholics in India were under persecution from the Dutch
. Later in 1962 it was granted a Special status of a Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII
.
style of architecture. The southern side was extended in 1928 and northern in 1933. The Shrine Basilica contains three chapels, Our Lady's Tank, Church Museum, Priests' Residence, Offering Center, Stations of the Cross
, Stations of the Rosary
, Shrine Mega Mahal and Vailankanni Beach. The building is totally painted in white, except for the roof that is made of tiles of striking red color.
. Right over the center of the ancient main altar was the miraculous image of Our Lady of Good Health.
, delicately executed in spotless white marble, was erected replacing the former one made of cement concrete.
and 82 feet (25 m) high gothic spirals. The extension was designed to resemble the Basilica
in Lourdes, France.
, Malayalam
, Telugu
, Kannada
, Konkani
, Hindi
and English
. The pilgrims include people with different faiths , especially Hindus, Muslims and Christians of all denomination (Catholic and Protestants). The centuries of pilgrimages and devotion by Hindus have had a profound influence on Marian devotion in Velankanni. According to Goan and konkan coast Hindus she is called Shantadurga (most compassionate one). This especially includes use of kotimaram, which has been described as an extended influence of Hinduism on Catholicism. This has made the Basilica a meeting point of two of the major religions of the world. It is said that the portrayal of Virgin Mary as a curer of illness and a victor over all demonic forces is seen by local Hindus as an attribute equivalent of Hindu Goddess Mariamman
. Such pilgrims are also common during Christmas
.
The town of Velakanni was affected by the tsunami
on Boxing day
of 2004 causing heavy loss of life but no damage to the Church. Aftermath of the tsunami found slowing down of pilgrims for a year.
Every Evening
All Saturdays
in 1771. The list of parish priests from 1771 till now is as follows: Many of these priests later became Bishop for Diocese of Tanjore
Velankanni Town
Velankanni , officially spelled as Vailankanni , also spelled as "Velanganni" , is a Parish under Tanjore Roman Catholic Diocese and a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
in the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Roman Catholic Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health
Our Lady of Good Health
Our lady of Good Health, popularly called "Our Lady of Vailankanni" is artributed to Mary, mother of Jesus, in the small town of Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, India, located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. A Basilica artributed to both Portuguese and Indians stands in and around the sites of the...
. Devotion to Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s at different sites around where the Bacilica currently stands: the apparition of Mary and the Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
Child to a slumbering shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk
Buttermilk
Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly...
vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
sailors from a violent sea storm.
Although all three apparitions ultimately resulted in the erection of a shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
to our Lady, it was the promise of the Portuguese sailors that was the proximate cause of a permanent edifice being built at Velankanni. The chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8), the day of their safe landing. More than 500 years later, the nine-day festival and celebration is still observed and draws nearly 2 million pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s each year. The Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as the "Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
of the East," is one of the most frequented religious sites in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
History
Though there are no historical documents or records about the Apparitions of Mary at Vailankanni, the oral tradition substantiates the two apparitions of the Blessed Mother of Vailankanni in the 16th century and the saving of the Portuguese sailors from a tempest in the Bay of Bengal in the later 17th century.Apparitions
The first of the apparitions in Vailankanni is claimed to be to a Hindu boy during the mid sixteenth century. It is said that Mary appeared to him and requested milk for her Son to which the boy readily agreed. Later, upon reaching the home of the customer the boy had intended to deliver the milk to, he apologized for his delay and the reduced amount of milk by relating the incident that occurred on his way. However, upon inspection of his order, the customer found the milk pot to be full and was convinced that something miraculous had happened. Together the man, also a Hindu, and the boy returned to the place where the apparition had occurred. When they reached the pond, Our Lady appeared once again. On learning that it was Our Lady who appeared to the boy, the residents of the local Catholic community became ecstatic and promptly renamed the pond Matha Kulam or, Our Lady's Pond.The construction of a chapel or church is attributed to the second apparition, not the first. This time, it is said, Mary appeared to a crippled boy (and also a son of a widow) in a place called Nadu Thittu. The boy is claimed to have offered her buttermilk and then be cured of his illness. The Catholics in the nearby town of Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. It is a prominent seaport on the east coast of India and an important centre of trade and commerce.The town of Nagapattinam dates back to the Sangam period...
are said to have built the first shrine after being informed of the incident.
Portuguese sailors
In the 17th century, a Portuguese merchant vessel, sailing from MacauMacau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
in China to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
was caught in a tempest in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors, then at the point of desolation, vowed to build a chapel in the name of the Virgin Mary wherever they could reach safety. The legends claim that the stormy sea became quiet and their ship reached the shore of Vailankanni on 8 September, the birthday of Mary. Fulfilling their vow, the Portuguese sailors put up a chapel at Vailankanni by transforming the earlier thatched chapel. On their next visit, the Portuguese decorated the altar with porcelain plates illustrating Biblical themes.
From shrine to basilica
The shrine that started as a thatched chapel in the mid sixteenth century became a parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in 1771 when Catholics in India were under persecution from the Dutch
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
. Later in 1962 it was granted a Special status of a Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
.
Architecture
The Basilica is built in GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style of architecture. The southern side was extended in 1928 and northern in 1933. The Shrine Basilica contains three chapels, Our Lady's Tank, Church Museum, Priests' Residence, Offering Center, Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
, Stations of the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
, Shrine Mega Mahal and Vailankanni Beach. The building is totally painted in white, except for the roof that is made of tiles of striking red color.
Southern side
Early part of 20th century marked rivalry between Jesuits and Franciscans on influence on the missionary in Velankanni. In 1928 a solution was found to this problem. The church of Immaculate Heart of Mary (managed by the Jesuits) was demolished and the statues were brought to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health, eventually in 1933 the Shrine expanded with two new wings, to the right and to the left of the 'Main Altar', meeting the nave at right angles.Northern side
A spacious vestry was also provided immediately behind the Altar. Thus the entire sacred edifice began to assume the shape of a Latin CrossChristian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
. Right over the center of the ancient main altar was the miraculous image of Our Lady of Good Health.
Shrine altar
In 1956, a new welcome arch was blessed and opened by Bishop Sundaram. The illuminated arch stood to show the way to the eager pilgrims, who sought the protection of Mary. In January 1961, a new central altarAltar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, delicately executed in spotless white marble, was erected replacing the former one made of cement concrete.
Extension basilica-altar
In 1974-75, an extension of the basilica was built behind the existing central altar to accommodate the multilingual pilgrims. The extension included a two storied church with 93 feet (28.3 m) high domeDome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
and 82 feet (25 m) high gothic spirals. The extension was designed to resemble the Basilica
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes or the Domain is an area of ground surrounding the shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes in the town of Lourdes, France...
in Lourdes, France.
Morning Star Church
A new, magnificent church that is coming up on the northern side of the Holy Path. Named after a popular Marian invocation, the Morning Star Church is meant to be a monumental abode for Our Lady, besides serving other liturgical purposes. At whopping measurements - 400 feet long, 138 feet wide and 40 feet high - the 'Morning Star Church' will be one of a kind in that, there will be no intermediate columns. It will have a seating capacity of over 15,000 numbers. Designed with Portuguese artistic nuances and the over all view resembling a shell, this will surely be an architectural wonder. The front elevation will be similar to the main Basilica. Construction works are in the pipeline.,Pilgrims
Pilgrimage to the basilica are common during September, around the time of the feast. Then, millions from all over India and abroad come to join in prayers. The feast day prayers are said in TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Malayalam
Malayalam language
Malayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
, Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The pilgrims include people with different faiths , especially Hindus, Muslims and Christians of all denomination (Catholic and Protestants). The centuries of pilgrimages and devotion by Hindus have had a profound influence on Marian devotion in Velankanni. According to Goan and konkan coast Hindus she is called Shantadurga (most compassionate one). This especially includes use of kotimaram, which has been described as an extended influence of Hinduism on Catholicism. This has made the Basilica a meeting point of two of the major religions of the world. It is said that the portrayal of Virgin Mary as a curer of illness and a victor over all demonic forces is seen by local Hindus as an attribute equivalent of Hindu Goddess Mariamman
Mariamman
Māri ,Tulu, also known as Mariamman , both meaning "Mother Mari", spelt also Maariamma , or simply Amman or Aatha is the South Indian Hindu goddess of disease and rain. She is the main South Indian mother goddess, predominant in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and...
. Such pilgrims are also common during Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
The town of Velakanni was affected by the tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
on Boxing day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
of 2004 causing heavy loss of life but no damage to the Church. Aftermath of the tsunami found slowing down of pilgrims for a year.
Daily Services
Every Morning- 5:45 a.m. Holy Mass in Tamil
- 6:45 a.m. High Mass in Tamil
- 9:00 a.m. Holy Mass in Malayalam
- 10:00 a.m. Holy Mass in English
- 12:00 a.m. Holy Mass in Tamil
Every Evening
- 6:00 p.m. Novena Prayers, Rosary, Evening prayers.
- 6:30 p.m. Holy Mass in Tamil
Weekly Services
Thursday Evenings- 6:30 p.m. Holy Mass in Tamil
All Saturdays
- 7:00 a.m. Holy Mass at Our Lady's Tank
- 5:45 p.m. Car Procession around the Shrine Basilica, Rosary, Novena prayers, Blessing with the Statue of Our Lady.
- 6:30 p.m. Holy Mass in Tamil
List of parish priests
The basilica first became a parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in 1771. The list of parish priests from 1771 till now is as follows: Many of these priests later became Bishop for Diocese of Tanjore
See also
- Roman Catholic Marian churchesRoman Catholic Marian churchesThroughout history, Roman Catholics have built churches to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, a large number of Roman Catholic churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin exist on all continents...
- Our Lady of Good HealthOur Lady of Good HealthOur lady of Good Health, popularly called "Our Lady of Vailankanni" is artributed to Mary, mother of Jesus, in the small town of Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, India, located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. A Basilica artributed to both Portuguese and Indians stands in and around the sites of the...
- VelankanniVelankanni TownVelankanni , officially spelled as Vailankanni , also spelled as "Velanganni" , is a Parish under Tanjore Roman Catholic Diocese and a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
- Poondi Matha BasilicaPoondi Matha BasilicaOur Lady of Lourdes Basilica, Poondi, is a Catholic pilgrimage centre located in Tamil Nadu, South India. Poondi is a small village located in Thiruvaiyaru Taluk , about 35-km away from Thanjavur...
- Our Lady of Snows BasilicaOur Lady of Snows BasilicaOur Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centres in India dedicated to the Virgin Mary.-History:...
- Roman Catholicism in IndiaRoman Catholicism in IndiaThe Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope and the curia in Rome.There are over 17.3 million Catholics in India, which represents less than 2% of the total population and is the largest Christian church within India. There are 157...
- Christianity in IndiaChristianity in IndiaChristianity is India's third-largest religion, with approximately 24 million followers, constituting 2.3% of India's population. The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings and 14th century Portuguese missionaries created an illusion to convert Indians that Christianity was introduced to...
- Christianity in Tamil NaduChristianity in Tamil NaduChristianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is believed to be 2000 years old. It possibly was introduced to Tamil Nadu by St. Thomas Didymus , one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ between 52-72 AD. But the colonial age brought a large number of Portuguese, Dutch, British and Italian Christians...
- KamanayakkanpattiKamanayakkanpattiKamanayakkanpatti is a small village in Kovilpatti Taluk in Thoothukudi District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Demographics : India census, Kamanayakkanpatti had a population of 2426. Males constitute 50.05% of the population and females 49.05%. Kamanayakkanpatti has an average literacy...
Church of Our Lady of Assumption (பரலோக மாதா திருத்தலம்) - Our Lady of Snow KallikulamOur Lady of Snow KallikulamThe Church of Our Lady of Snow is a Roman Catholic Marian church in Kallikulam, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In recent times it became popular because of vision and apparition of Mother Mary....
(Our Lady of Snow Church, Kallikulam), Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.