Velankanni Church: History, Architecture, Mass Timings, Images
Velankanni Church
Velankani is a special panchayat town in the Nagapattinam district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is locatedย 350 km south of Chennai (Madras), 12 km south of Nagapattinam, and 33 km southeast of Tiruvarur. Once a port for trade with Rome and Greece, this small trading center gradually lost its importance compared to the larger city of Nagapattinam. The canal built to connect this city with Vedaranyam is still in the west. The Velajar River, a tributary of the Cauvery River, flows south of the city and empties into the sea. The city was one of the worst hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The city is home to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Health, one of the most visited Latin Catholic churches. Bellankani has been selected as one of the heritage cities under the Heritage Cities Development and Expansion Yojana (HRIDAY) program of the Government of India.
Velankanni Church History & Architecture
Velankani Church is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for Catholics in India. The history of the church dates back to the 16th or 17th century. It is believed that at that time the Virgin Mary appeared in this small village with her baby Jesus in her hands. At the same time, she is said to have saved Portuguese sailors from a storm. It is believed that three miracles occurred at the same time. It was the apparition of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, the healing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of a Portuguese soldier from a storm. Since then, this place has gained many fans. Large crowds visit the church every year to pay their respects and seek blessings. Approximately 20 million pilgrims visit this church each year. Approximately 3 million people entered the sacred site during the festival.
The church is built inย Gothic style. It is a large white structure and also features remnants of Portuguese architecture. The Pope gave this church the status of cathedral in 1962. It was once a thatched chapel, but now it is a magnificent building. Every year, Velankani Church hosts a 10-day long festival. This is one of the most important festivals in the city and people travel from far and wide to participate in this festival. This festival commemorates women of good health, to whom the shrine is dedicated. The origins of this festival date back to his 16th century, and it has been held every year since then. The festival is held on August 29th every year and begins with the hoisting of the flag. This flag will be flown continuously for nine days until the end of the festival. It is said that over 3 million people visit this festival every year.
Velankanni Church Mass Timings
This church is a spiritual beacon for many Catholic communities in India. Masses at Velankani Church are held in four languages โโto allow everyone to participate.
| Mass Language | Mass Language |
| Malayalam | 9.00 a.m |
| English | 10.00 a.m |
| Hindi | 11.00 a.m |
| Tamil | 12.00 a.m |
Velankanni Church Images
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