Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health | ||
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Shrine Basilica Vailankanni | ||
Consecrated 1962 | | |
Architecture | ||
Functional status | Active | |
Architectural type | Gothic | |
Administration | ||
Diocese | Tanjore (Thanjavur) | |
Clergy | ||
Archbishop | Antony Anandarayar | |
Bishop(s) | Devadass Ambrose Mariadoss | |
Rector | A.M.A. Prabakar | |
Priest(s) | Arputharaj S, Vice-Rector and parish priest |
The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, also known as Sanctuary of Our Lady of Velankanni, is a
The devotion has existed since the mid-sixteenth century, and is attributed to three separate
Initially, a modest chapel was built by the
History
Marian apparitions at Velankanni include three of the Virgin of Velankanni in the 16th century, according to oral lore and popular belief. The third noteworthy incident is the reported miraculous rescue of the Portuguese in Goa and Bombay-Bassein, who were sailing away from a deadly monsoon surge and tempest, in the Bay of Bengal in the late 17th century.[1]
The first Marian apparition is said to have occurred in May 1570, when a local shepherd boy was delivering milk to a nearby house. Along the way he met a beautiful woman holding a child, who asked for some milk for the child. After giving her some milk, he continued on under the hot tropical sun, upon finishing his deliveries he found that the jug was still full of fresh and cool milk. A small shrine was built near the site where the boy encountered the woman, a location that came to be called Maatha Kulam, which means "Mother's well" in Tamil.[2]
The second Marian apparition is said to have happened in 1597, not far from Maatha Kulam. A beautiful woman with a child in her arms appeared to a crippled boy selling buttermilk. The child asked for a drink of buttermilk. After he drank it, the woman told the boy to visit a gentleman in the next town and ask him to build a chapel in her honour at that location. As the boy set out he realised he had been healed and was no longer lame. A small thatched chapel was built shortly thereafter in honour of "Our Lady of Good Health" or Aarokia Maatha in Tamil.[2]
The third notable incident occurred when a Portuguese ship sailing from
The shrine that began as a thatched chapel in the mid-sixteenth century and became a
Significance and pilgrimage
For
The church it is dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health. The Virgin Mary is depicted wearing a
Due to the number of pilgrim visits during festival season, the
Architecture
The basilica is built in the Gothic style of architecture. The southern side was extended in 1928 and the northern in 1933.[13] The Shrine Basilica contains three chapels, as well as Our Lady's Tank, Church Museum, Priests' Residence, Offering Center, Stations of the Cross, mysteries of the rosary, Shrine Mega Mahal and Vailankanni Beach. The building is painted in white, except for the roof that is made of red tiles.
The early part of the 20th century marked rivalry between Jesuits and Franciscans regarding their influence on missionary work in Velankanni. In 1928, the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was demolished and the statues were brought to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health; in 1933 the shrine was expanded with two new wings, to the right and to the left of the 'Main Altar', meeting the nave at right angles.[14]
A spacious vestry was provided immediately behind the altar. Thus the entire sacred edifice began to assume the shape of a Latin cross. Right over the center of the ancient main altar was the miraculous image of Our Lady of Good Health.[14]
In 1956, a new welcome arch was blessed and opened by Bishop Rajarethinam Arokiasamy Sundaram. The illuminated arch stood to show the way to eager pilgrims who sought the protection of Mary. In January 1961, a new central altar, executed in white marble, replaced the former one made of cement concrete.[13] 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 m) high dome and 82 feet (25 m) high gothic spirals.[14] It was designed to resemble the Basilica in Lourdes, France.[9]
List of parish priests
The basilica first became a parish in 1771.[3] The list of parish priests (mainly Portuguese) from 1771 until now is as follows:[14]
S.no | Year | Month | Parish Priest | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1771 | Sep | António do Rosário | |
2 | 1774 | Aug | José de Santa Rosa de Viterbo | |
3 | 1777 | Jul | António do Rosário, Commissary | |
4 | 1779 | Sep | Luís dos Remédios | |
5 | 1783 | Jan | António do Rosário, Commissary | |
6 | 1788 | Dec | António de Jesus Maria José | |
7 | 1789 | Sep | António do Rosário, Commissary | |
8 | 1792 | Sep | José de Santa Rosa de Viterbo, Commissary | |
9 | 1814 | May | Constaantino de Jesus Maria, Commissary | |
10 | 1819 | May | Tomás da Piedade | |
11 | 1822 | Feb | Francisco Xavier Mascarenhas | |
12 | 1822 | Aug | Francisco das Dores | |
13 | 1824 | May | Felipe de Jesus | |
14 | 1825 | Sep | Francisco Dos Dores | |
15 | 1828 | Jun | Felipe de Jesus | |
16 | 1829 | May | Clemente das Dores | |
17 | 1847 | Oct | Isidoro Manuel Alemão | |
18 | 1858 | Apr | José Felix Fernandes, AG.PP | |
19 | 1863 | Nov | Felipe de Nery Joaquim Dias | |
20 | 1876 | May | Inácio António de Andrade | |
21 | 1886 | Aug | Miguel Francisco Fernandes | |
22 | 1890 | Dec | Joaquim José, Ag. P. Vic. Nagapattinam | |
23 | 1891 | Feb | Guilherme José Dias | |
24 | 1892 | Dec | Joaquim José Luís, Ag. P. Vic. Nagapattinam | |
25 | 1893 | Mar | Martinho Valeriano de Sá | |
26 | 1899 | Sep | Joaquim Francisco da Piedade Dias | |
27 | 1900 | Aug | Camilo Fernandes | |
28 | 1910 | Jun | Sebastião Xavier de Noronha | |
29 | 1942 | Sep | M. V. Rodrigues | |
30 | 1963 | Jun | S. Maria Soosai | |
31 | 1980 | Sep | Tomás Vaz | |
32 | 1982 | Sep | S. L. Gabriel | |
33 | 1990 | May | M.M. Sammanasu | |
34 | 1997 | Jun | G. Arul Iruthayam | |
35 | 2003 | Jun | P. Xavier | |
36 | 2009 | Jun | A. Michael | |
37 | 2015 | Jun | A.M.A. Prabakar | |
38 | 2021 | Nov | C. Irudayaraj |
Gallery
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Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu - entrance
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Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu
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Velankanni - basilica extension
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Velankanni Church pond
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Pilgrims walking on their knees towards the pond
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Velankanni - Adoration Center
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Velankanni Basilica
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Velankanni Basilica - a panoramic side view - church and church extension seen at a stretch
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Velankanni Basilica - side left side view
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Flag pole at the church
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Velankanni apostolic brief
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Velankanni proclamation Inscription
See also
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tanjore
- List of basilicas in India
- Basilica of Our Lady of Health, Harihar
- Marian apparition
- Christianity in Tamil Nadu
References
- ^ History of the basilica on its home page Archived 3 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Thomas, William. "Our Lady of Health, Velankanni, India", Catholic Voice, 2 August 2009
- ^ a b VAILANKANNI – an Overview Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine on Tamil Nadu government website
- ^ Margaret Meibohm Cultural complexity in South India: Hindu and Catholic in Marian pilgrimage University of Pennsylvania
- ^ D Mosse Catholic Saints and the Hindu Village Pantheon in Rural Tamil Nadu, India, Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
- ^ Corinne G Dempsey, Selva J. Raj Popular Christianity in India: Riting Between the Lines State University of New York press.
- ^ "Thousands of pilgrims throng Velankanni for Christmas" news from The Hindu
- ^ "More than 20,000 devotees walk to Velankanni ahead of flag-hoisting – Times of India". The Times of India. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
- ^ a b All roads lead to Velankanni on The Hindu news.
- ^ Kulkarni, Neha (29 August 2016). "Melting pot: Taking a trip to Velankanni, to find solace in Mother Mary". The Indian Express. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
- ^ "Special trains for Velankanni festival rush – Times of India". The Times of India. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
- ^ a b About Velankanni Archived 9 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine on www.velankannichurch.org.
- ^ a b c d About Church Archived 2012-11-22 at the Wayback Machine on VelankanniChurch.com
External links
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Vailankanni – Official website
- Marian Shrine of Vailankanni TV – Live streaming
- Velankanni Church Photos 2018