The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Mother of refuge

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Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Mother of refuge

– Photo: N. Rajesh

SERENE: Our Lady of Snows Chruch in Tuticorin.

In Tamilnadu, there are four Basilicas, which stand as monuments of praise and glory to the Lord our God. They are the Basilica at Santhome, Chennai, the Basilica at the shrine of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes at Poondi and the Basilica of Our Lady of Snows at Tuticorin. After St. Thomas, the apostle of our Lord Jesus who came to India to preach Christianity in the southern most parts of Tamilnadu especially in the coastal areas, St. Fra ncis Xavier came to Tuticorin to spread Christianity.

There are many traditions in vogue regarding the origin of the beautiful wooden statue of Our Lady of Snows at Tuticorin. According to one such tradition, the statue was kept in a chapel in a convent in Manila, Philippines. St. Francis Xavier who was much attracted by the beauty of the statue expressed his wish to the sisters of the convent to send the statue to the Pearl Fishery Coast as his gift. After the death of St. Francis Xavier on the Sancian island in 1552, the statue was sent to Tuticorin by a ship named ‘SANTALENA’on 9th June 1555.The statue was received by Fr. Michael Vaz, Vicar General of the Diocese of Goa and was solemnly installed in the Jesuit church of St. Paul at Keracope Street, Tuticorin. It was also called the church of Mother Mercy and thereafter gradually it came to be called the church of Our Lady of Snows.

Wishing to build a new church Fr. Vigilius Mansi whole heartedly took great efforts to construct the church for Our Lady of Snows, swimming against the currents, he laid the foundation for the church on 4th April 1712 and within a year he was able to complete the church. On August 5th 1713 the new church was opened and blessed and the first feast was celebrated and year after year the feast of Our Lady of Snows was celebrated on August 5th. Since August 5th is the liturgical commemoration in the Roman Catholic Church, which honours Mary under the title “Our Lady of Snows”. The title corresponds with an ancient story that tells of snow falling in summer upon Mount Eskaline. Our Lady requested the then pope Liberius to build a church on that spot which is known as St. Mary Major the prominent church dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary.

In 1982 the church of Our Lady Of Snows celebrated its 400th anniversary, the then Pope John Paul raised it to the status of Basilica. It is the greatest honour for a church to be raised to the status of Basilica. The history of shrine Basilica is closely connected with the people of the Pearl Fishery coast. Our Lady was called ‘YELU KADALTHURAI YEGA ADAIKALA THAI’ – Mother of Refuge and the Portuguese called her “Signora Das Nevis”, which means Our Lady of Snows.

The Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Snows constructed in the Portuguese architecture, houses the celebrated statue of Our Lady of Snows. The statue has always been looked up as a miraculous one. Fr.Vigilius Mansi, who built the present church of Our Lady of Snows, narrates that how on April 4th 1707 he was saved from a sonorous and fierce thunderbolt, which fell, in his residence where he had kept the miraculous statue for a short time and how Our Lady herself saved him.

Even today the devotees who visit the church have acknowledged that they had experienced miracles after praying to Our Lady. The holy custom of drinking water that washes the feet of the statue our lady and using the oil from the lamp are still followed by the devotees.

The feast of Our Lady of Snows is celebrated in a fitting way starting from 26th July with the flag hoisting and ending with a high mass on 5th August with the car procession of Our Lady of Snows. On all the days of the festival season there will be several masses in the morning and evening, Marian devotions, prayers, homily and the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament attended by a large number of devotees. Once in a period of ten to twelve years the feast will be celebrated in a grand scale by taking the statute of Our Lady of Snows in a grand procession in the golden car.

To honour this Merciful Mother and to commemorate 25th year of jubilee of Shrine Basilica the port town community whole heartedly drew the golden car after a span of seven years to invoke her blessings abundantly on 5th August 2007. The procession was taken out on the prime streets of Tuticorin. The golden car procession was attended by a large number of devotees from all over the world. On 25th December 2007 “Snows Basilica Church” postage stamp was also released. Devotees flock to the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Snows to express their love for Mother Mary. They believe that Mary is God’s almoner as she distributes to us sanctifying and actual graces, to obtain these graces we should strive to imitate Our Blessed Virgin, the simplest way to obtain these gifts and graces is by praying the rosary daily which is described as a rope or a chain by which Our Blessed Virgin pulls us up the mountain of life.The feast does not discriminate religion, caste and creed. Our Lady, Divine Mother extends her helping hands.

J. Maureen Ravel,

Tuticorin.

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