Media Release
Davanagere, Aug 28: Many churches and basilicas of note were established in the wake of an extraordinary event that occurred at some point in their history. Harihar church, as the Basilica of Our Lady of Health is more widely known, is no exception to this rule. Its story begins sometime in the early 1800’s when a Brahmin who was bathing on its banks, accidentally fell into the swollen river Tungabhadra. According to local tradition, he saw a floating statue of Our Lady of Health and was able to save himself from drowning. He carried the statue back home and his wife and children too were miraculously healed of their ill health.
From that point of time, the Brahmin devoted himself completely to the service of Our Lady, until his death a few years later. He was laid to rest in his residential property, on which after some time a church was built. The shrine is situated quite close to the river Tungabhadra and has grown into a centre of pilgrimage from people of many parts of Karnataka. Harihar church acts like a magnet to people of different faiths who speak varied languages. It is easy to understand exactly why it has earned the sobriquet ‘Vailankanni of Karnataka’.
Harihar is a small town in Davanagere district which was part of the erstwhile Mysore state. In 1833, the French MEP priest Fr Bigot Beauclair who was ordained in Pondicherry, paid a visit to Harihar. He is said to have witnessed pilgrims flocking to a place where a statue of the Blessed Virgin was venerated with great devotion. He was then informed of the legend behind the statue and what caused people to display such devotion to it. It is recorded that Fr Bigot built the church on the property donated by the Brahmin’s family in Harihar.
Although the fame of the Harihar church had spread considerably in the region, the spiritual needs of the Christians in that town were ministered to by priests from the Sacred Heart church at Shimoga. In 1870, the French MEP priest, Fr Kleiner from Shimoga was entrusted the care of this parish. Many of the French priests were deputed to Shimoga diocese, from the French colony of Pondicherry. In course of time the feast day of the shrine was celebrated on September 8, which is the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1954, land for the construction of a new church was purchased on the Pune-Bengaluru Road. A new church was built in 1963 and was consecrated by Archbishop Thomas Pothakamury, the Archbishop of Bengaluru. The miraculous statue from the original shrine was shifted to the new church. This church was replaced by the present edifice in 1992, which is an example of unique architectural skills.
Harihar church has grown in leaps and bounds and is said to have attracted a crowd of over 200,000 to the last feast of the nativity in 2018. In view of its considerable importance to the Christian community in Karnataka, the Vatican raised the Shrine of Our Lady of Health at Harihar to the status of a Minor Basilica on September 18, 2019. Many churches and basilicas of note were established in the wake of an extraordinary event that occurred at some point in their history. Harihar church, as the Basilica of Our Lady of Health is more widely known, is no exception to this rule. Its story begins sometime in the early 1800’s when a Brahmin who was bathing on its banks, accidentally fell into the swollen river Tungabhadra. According to local tradition, he saw a floating statue of Our Lady of Health and was able to save himself from drowning. He carried the statue back home and his wife and children too were miraculously healed of their ill health.
Christianity has a long history in the state of Karnataka. The history of Our Lady of Health Church dates back to the 18th century. A new Church dedicated to Our Lady of Health was built on August 31 1992. On May 27 2012, the Shrine was officially declared as a Diocesan Shrine of the Diocese of Shimoga.
The Vatican has raised the Shrine of Our Lady of Health, Harihar to the status of a Minor Basilica on September 18 2019. This is the third shrine in Karnataka to have received the status of Minor Basilica after St Mary's Minor Basilica in the Archdiocese of Bengaluru and St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Karkala in the Diocese of Udupi. The official celebration of this milestone was held on January 15 2020.
Festival of Our Lady of Good Health
The feast of Our Lady of Good Health is celebrated every year on September 8, on the day of Nativity. There is a chariot procession carrying the statue of Our Lady of Good Health. The chariot would be decked with (sevanthige) chrysanthemum flowers sourced from Arsikere.
This year's festival begins on Friday August 30. Dr Francis Serrao SJ, bishop of diocese of Shimoga will host the flag of Blessed Virgin Mary. K J George, minister of energy, government of Karnataka will be the chief guest. The theme of the annual feast 2024 is the purest life of Mother Mary - Our Beacon of Holiness.
From August 30 to September 7, every day at 5:30 pm there will be procession, novena, floral homage, Holy Eucharist, adoration and healing prayer for the sick will be led by different priests.
On September 7, the 5:30 pm Mass will be offered by Dr Duming Dias, bishop of diocese of Karwar. Then there will be adoration and healing service led by Fr Franklin D'Souza, Fr Roman Pinto and Bro T K George.
On September 8 festal day, there will be Masses in various languages with 5:15 am in Kannada, 6:15 am in Telugu, 7:15 am in Malayalam (Syro Malabar Rite) by Dr Joseph Arumachadath, bishop of diocese of Bhadravati, 8:45 am in Tamil, 10 am in English, by Duming Dias, 11 am festal Mass by Dr Francis Serrao SJ, bishop of diocese of Shimoga. At 1:15 pm, there will be Mass in Konkani, and at 2:30 pm, a healing adoration by Yesusparsha Team led by Fr Franklin D'Souza. There will be Mass at 4 pm in Kannada, 5 pm solemn procession, and 7pm Mass in Kannada.
Fr George K A, rector of Our Lady of Health Basilica had already made all preparations together with the faithful of Harihar.