The Basilica Of Our Lady Of Good Health
Velankanni along with being a popular travel destination in Tamil Nadu is also home to several Catholic pilgrimage sites. And The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is one of its gems when it comes to a prominent religious site in Velankanni for tourists.
The establishment of this popular church is the attribution of three miracles; the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, the apparition of Mary, and the Christ Child. Erected in the Gothic style of architecture, the church traces its history from the 16th century and comes into recognition in 1962 when Pope John XXIII decided to raise its status to Basilica. Since then, it is one of the eminent tourist attractions in Velankanni.
Devoted to Our Lady of Good Health, the shrine is not just only representing Catholicism but is also a place for Protestants Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhism, and other religions. Moreover, the church also organizes its weekend and daily masses in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, keeping both native and tourist pilgrims in mind. As far as Church’s attractions are considered, there is an idol of Mother Mary in which she is adorned with the Indian Sari and another larger chapel.
History of The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
There are no historical documents or records about the apparitions of Mary at Velankanni. Oral tradition is the source for the two apparitions of the Blessed Mother of Velankanni in the 16th century and the saving of the Portuguese sailors from a tempest in the Bay of Bengal in the later 17th century.
Architecture of The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
The Basilica is built in the Gothic style of architecture. The southern side was extended in 1928 and the northern in 1933. The Shrine Basilica contains three chapels, Our Lady's Tank, a Church Museum, a Priests' Residence, an Offering Center, Stations of the Cross, Stations of the Rosary, Shrine Mega Mahal, and Vailankanni Beach. The building is painted in white, except for the roof which is made of tiles of striking red color.
