Introduction
Our Lady of Health Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni, is one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage centres in India. Dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, the Basilica is popularly known as the “Lourdes of the East.” The origins of the shrine date back to the 16th century, and its foundation is traditionally associated with three miraculous events: the apparition of Mary and the Infant Jesus to a young shepherd boy, the healing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the miraculous survival of Portuguese sailors caught in a violent sea storm.
Built in the Gothic architectural style, the Basilica was modified by the Portuguese and subsequently expanded to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. In 1962, Pope John XXIII elevated the church to the status of a Minor Basilica. Every year, approximately 20 million pilgrims visit the shrine from India and abroad, including an estimated 3 million during its annual festival, celebrated from 29 August to 8 September. The 11-day festival concludes with the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 8 September.
According to tradition, Mother Mary appeared with the Infant Jesus in this small hamlet towards the end of the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century. Since then, Our Lady of Health Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni, has become one of the most significant Marian pilgrimage destinations in the world. Pilgrims of different faiths, cultures and languages visit the shrine to seek blessings and offer prayers.
Our Lady of Good Health, also known as Our Lady of Health Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni, is a celebrated Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with the town of Velankanni in Tamil Nadu, India. According to traditional accounts, one of the Marian apparitions occurred when the Virgin Mary, carrying the Infant Jesus, appeared to a young boy who was delivering milk to a nearby household. These reported apparitions have not been approved by the Holy See.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, established through the efforts of Portuguese and Indian Catholics, stands at this sacred site. The iconic image of the Madonna is distinctive because Mary is depicted wearing an Indian sari. According to tradition, another statue depicting Mary in a sari was buried with Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor. The Basilica attracts pilgrims from across India and is also known for its multilingual prayers and celebrations, particularly during Christmas.
History of Our Lady of Velankanni
There are no historical documents or official records confirming the apparitions of Mary at Velankanni. The accounts of the two apparitions of the Blessed Mother during the 16th century and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a tempest in the Bay of Bengal during the later 17th century are based on oral tradition.
The First Apparition is traditionally believed to have occurred in May 1570, when a local shepherd boy was delivering milk to a nearby household. Along the way, he encountered a beautiful woman holding a child. She asked him for some milk for the little one. After giving her the milk, the boy continued his journey. When he reached his destination, he discovered that the milk jug was once again completely full of fresh, cool milk.
The Second Apparition is said to have occurred in 1597, near Matha Kulam. A beautiful woman holding a young boy appeared to a young boy with a physical disability who was selling buttermilk. After the woman and child received some buttermilk, she asked the vendor to visit a gentleman in the neighbouring town and request that he build a chapel in her honour at that location. The boy set out immediately and discovered that he was no longer lame. A small thatched chapel was subsequently built in honour of Our Lady of Health, known in Tamil as “Arokia Matha.”
The Third Incident concerns a Portuguese ship travelling from Macau to Sri Lanka that was caught in a severe storm in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors sought the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title “Star of the Sea.” The storm subsided, and all 150 men aboard the ship were saved. The incident occurred on 8 September, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. In thanksgiving, the sailors rebuilt the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health and continued to improve it whenever their voyages brought them to the region.
Our Lady of Health Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni, began as a thatched chapel in the mid-16th century and became a parish church in 1771, during a period when Catholics in India faced persecution from the Dutch. In 1962, Pope John XXIII granted the shrine the special status of a Minor Basilica. On 3 November 1962, the Shrine of Velankanni was elevated to the status of a Minor Basilica and affiliated with the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome.
Velankanni was originally part of the parish of Nagapattinam. As the number of pilgrims increased, it became an independent parish in 1771. Fr. Antonio de Rozario, the last parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Nagapattinam, was appointed the first parish priest of Velankanni.
Nagapattinam had traditionally been under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Mylapore. During this period, the Diocese of Mylapore was administered under the Portuguese Padroado system of patronage. Under this arrangement, the Portuguese Crown in Europe met the expenses incurred by the Diocese of Mylapore, which remained under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiffs.
Until 1847, the Franciscan missionaries responsible for the provinces of Goa and Mylapore also served Nagapattinam and Velankanni. The Franciscan origins and association of the shrine were reflected in the placement of two Franciscan saints, St. Anthony of Lisbon and St. Francis of Assisi, on either side of the miraculous image of Our Lady on the High Altar until 1961. Miguel Francisco Fernandez, the last Franciscan parish priest, administered the parish of Velankanni until 1889. In 1890, the parish was transferred to diocesan priests.
Thereafter, the diocesan priests of the Diocese of Mylapore took charge of Velankanni. In 1952, when the new Diocese of Thanjavur was established, Velankanni became part of the new diocese, and its priests assumed responsibility for the shrine.
The administration of the newly established diocese was temporarily placed under the apostolic administration of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias, S.D.B., who was then the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Madras–Mylapore.
On 19 March 1953, His Excellency the Rev. Dr. R. Arokiasamy Sundaram, D.D., L.C.L., M.A., a priest of the Archdiocese of Mylapore, was appointed the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Thanjavur. He assumed charge of the diocese on 24 March 1953. As Velankanni was situated in Thanjavur District, it came under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Thanjavur. Bishop R. Arokiasamy Sundaram took a keen interest in the development of the Velankanni Shrine and granted it special spiritual privileges. Our Lady of Health of Velankanni became the second patroness of the newly established diocese.
Elevation of the Shrine to the Status of a Basilica
One of the greatest honours that can be bestowed upon a church is its elevation to the status of a Basilica. The word Basilica is derived from the Greek word Basilike, which originally meant a royal hall. Over time, the term came to refer to a large and impressive hall. In ancient times, kings, particularly those in Rome, constructed large halls for administrative purposes. One of the earliest halls to bear the name Basilica was located in Athens.
As Jesus Christ is regarded as the King of Kings and His churches as His audience halls, large Christian churches in Rome came to be known as Basilicas. Today, a Basilica is a consecrated church, generally constructed in one of the classical architectural styles and traditionally designed with its main entrance facing east.
A Basilica is typically oblong in shape, with a broad nave terminating in an apse. A church may be granted the title of Basilica based on its artistic significance, the presence of a saint’s relics or a highly venerated religious image, or its importance as a prominent pilgrimage destination.
His Excellency Dr. R. A. Sundaram, D.D., L.C.L., M.A., the first Bishop of the Diocese of Thanjavur, earnestly petitioned Pope John XXIII to elevate the Shrine of Velankanni to the status of a Basilica. He also requested that the shrine be granted the privileges associated with this honour for the spiritual benefit of its pilgrims.
In 1962, while attending the second session of the Second Vatican Council in Rome, Bishop Sundaram personally reiterated his request to the Holy Father to elevate the Shrine of Our Lady of Velankanni to the distinguished status of a Minor Basilica. After carefully considering the request, Pope John XXIII issued the decree granting the shrine this status. Thus, in November 1962, the Shrine of Velankanni became a Minor Basilica and was affiliated with the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Feast Days: 8 September
8 September, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is also celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Good Health. The annual celebration begins on 29 August and concludes on the feast day. Prayers and liturgical celebrations are conducted in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Konkani, Hindi and English.
- The annual feast is celebrated from 29 August to 8 September, with 8 September commemorating the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- More than 20 lakh pilgrims from across India and other countries visit the shrine during the celebrations.
- Holy Mass is celebrated in six languages, fourteen times a day during the feast.
- The car procession of Our Lady of Health takes place at 8:00 p.m.
- The flag of Our Lady is hoisted every day at 12:00 noon.
- The grand annual feast begins with the hoisting of Our Lady’s flag at 6:30 p.m. on 29 August. The Bishop of Thanjavur presides as the principal celebrant.
- The feast concludes with the lowering of Our Lady’s flag at 6:00 p.m. on 8 September. The Rector and Parish Priest presides at the concluding Mass.
- The Feast Mass is celebrated at 6:15 a.m. on 8 September in the shrine’s open-air auditorium, presided over by the Bishop of Thanjavur.
Mass Timings
Weekdays
- 5:40 a.m.: Morning Prayer in the Main Shrine
- 6:00 a.m.: Mass in Tamil at the Main Shrine
- 7:00 a.m.: Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
- 8:00 a.m.: Mass in Telugu at the Upper Basilica
- 9:00 a.m.: Mass in Malayalam at the Lower Basilica
- 10:00 a.m.: Mass in English at the Lower Basilica
- 11:00 a.m.: Mass in Hindi at the Upper Basilica
- 12:00 noon: Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
- 6:00 p.m.: Rosary and Litany in Tamil, followed by Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
All Sundays
- 7:30 a.m.: Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica (instead of the 7:00 a.m. weekday Mass)
- 5:00 a.m.: Additional Mass in Tamil for the parishioners of Velankanni at the Lower Basilica
- 6:00 p.m.: Rosary, Novena Prayer, Benediction and Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
All Saturdays
- 7:00 a.m.: Mass in Tamil at Our Lady’s Tank Chapel
- 5:45 a.m.: Car procession of Our Lady of Health around the shrine, followed by Benediction and Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
First Friday
- 6:00 p.m.: Mass in Tamil, followed by a Eucharistic procession around the shrine, a sermon and Benediction in front of the Upper Basilica
First Saturday
- 5:30 p.m.: Car procession of Our Lady of Health along Beach Road, followed by the Blessing of the Sick with the Blessed Sacrament, Benediction and Mass in Tamil at the Lower Basilica
- 9:00 p.m.: Three-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the Main Shrine
Second Saturday
- 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Healing and Fasting Prayer Service at the Velankanni Retreat House
Third Saturday
- One-hour Intercessory Prayer Service at Our Lady’s Tank Chapel after the 7:00 a.m. Mass
Fourth Saturday
- 6:30 a.m.: Mass in Tamil at Naduththittu Chapel
- 8:00 p.m.: Children’s Evangelization Programme in front of the Presbytery
Month of May
- Our Lady’s car procession takes place around the shrine every day throughout the month.
Other Facilities
Office
The shrine office functions from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The office remains closed on Sundays, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and Christmas.
The office plays an important role in supporting the Rector and priests, managing the shrine’s administration and maintaining sacramental records.
Museum
The museum is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It displays offerings of gold, silver and other metals, along with various items presented by pilgrims. The museum stands as a living testament to the blessings devotees attribute to Our Lady and the gratitude they express through their offerings.
Depot
Located on the ground floor of the Parochial House, the depot displays and sells religious articles, statues, and audio and video cassettes. A branch is also located at Our Lady’s Tank. Initially, the establishment was known as the Legion of Mary Book Depot.
Book Centre
A bookshop known as Annai Book Centre is located within the museum, with a branch situated below the museum.
Schools
- Our Lady of Health Higher Secondary School
- Our Lady of Health Middle School
- Our Lady of Health Elementary School
- Infant Jesus Primary School (English Medium)
- Christ the King High School, a special school for children with disabilities, including deaf and hard-of-hearing children
Charitable Institutions and Homes
- Karunai Illam: A home for children with physical disabilities and children who are deaf or hard of hearing, run by the Sisters of the Congregation of Jesus.
- Nirmal Hriday Home: A home for children with intellectual disabilities, run by the Missionaries of Charity.
- Joseph’s Home for the Aged: A residential home for elderly men and women.
Hospital
Our Lady of Health Hospital provides healthcare services and operates a dispensary.
Movie
A Tamil-language film dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, titled Annai Velankanni, was released in 1971. Directed by K. Thankappan, the film featured prominent Tamil cinema stars, including Gemini Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, K. R. Vijaya and Padmini.
Contact Information
Rector, Shrine Basilica
Vailankanni – 611 111
Nagapattinam District
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone Numbers
- +91 4365 263 423
- +91 4365 263 584
- +91 4365 264 890
Email Addresses
Connectivity
Velankanni is well connected to other parts of India by road and rail. The East Coast Road (ECR), which runs from Chennai towards Cuddalore, forms part of the road network connecting the region.
Airways
The nearest airports to Our Lady of Velankanni are:
- Tiruchirappalli International Airport: Approximately 60.8 km
- Chennai International Airport: Approximately 306 km
Railways
Velankanni Railway Station is the nearest railway station, located approximately 900 metres from Our Lady of Velankanni.
Roadways
Approximate road distances from major bus stands are as follows:
- Thanjavur Old Bus Stand:2 km
- Thanjavur New Bus Stand: 102 km
- Tiruchirappalli Central Bus Stand: 157 km