The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Pilgrims throng Velankanni for annual feast festival

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Monday, Aug 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Pilgrims throng Velankanni for annual feast festival

Special Correspondent

The event will begin with flag hoisting on August 29

Divine location: A view of Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni in Nagapattinam district.

NAGAPATTINAM: Pilgrims from various parts of the country and abroad have started pouring into Velankanni in the district for the 11-day annual feast festival at Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health that will be celebrated from August 29 to September 8.

The birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on Sept.8. The district administration in coordination with the Velankanni Basilica authorities have made elaborate arrangements for providing all basic amenities to pilgrims. The district police have also made adequate security arrangements. Special trains and buses will be operated to Velankanni.

The festival will commence with the hoisting of Our Lady’s Flag at 6.30 p.m. on August 29 and conclude with the dismounting of Our Lady’s Flag at 6 p.m. on September 8. Holy Mass will be conducted in six languages –Tamil, English, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi and Konkani and fourteen times a day during the feast. The main chariot procession of Our Lady of Health will be held at 8 p.m. on September 7.

Velankanni, which is about 10-km from Nagapattinam, is known as the ‘Lourdes of the East’ as millions of pilgrims visit the Shrine throughout the year, praying to Our Lady for various needs and thanking her for the favours received through her intercession.

Mother Mary is believed to have appeared with Infant Jesus in this small hamlet at the end of the 16th or in the early 17th century. Ever since, Velankanni has been the most important destination and almost the synthesis of all Marian sanctuaries for the pilgrims of the world. Thousands of pilgrims come by foot from far of places singing the glories of the Mother.

Fr. Rozario, a Franciscan priest, expanded the small church built by the Portuguese sailors by extending the nave of the Church. But the ancient little sanctuary and the Altar were preserved intact.

Fr. Sebastio Xavier de Noronha expanded the Church in 1917 from the nave of the Church.

In addition, two gothic domes of 82 ft. each on either side of the entrance facing the sea were also constructed. About the same time a two-story Parochial building with facility for pilgrims was also built.

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