Media Release
Tamil Nadu, Sep 10: A sea of pilgrims attended the multilingual Feast Mass to celebrate the birthday of Mother Mary on September 7th evening and 8th, at the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankani, Tamil Nadu. His Excellency Dr T Sagayaraj, the bishop of Thanjavur, celebrated both the Concelebrated Feast Masses at the open-air auditorium.
In his homily, Dr T Sagayaraj said, "Mother Mary is the spring of good health. People come to a spring because they are thirsty. Generations after generations of pilgrims come to Velankani not only because they are thirsty for good health but because they are thirsty for peace, consolation, hope, forgiveness and healing. Mother Mary tells us not to worry because we have Emmanuel which means 'God with Us'. God is there for everyone in our sufferings. Emmanuel is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the source of living water from the spring."
Mother Mary, the mother and first disciple of Lord Jesus Christ, is known for her powerful intercessions. Velankani is the place where thousands of miracles, healings and blessings have taken place, ever since the 16th century, when Mother Mary with Infant Jesus appeared to a milk boy and later to a lame buttermilk child vendor. She also helped save Portuguese sailors caught in a storm and ensured that they landed safely on the shores of Velankani.
Offerings in silver and gold for vows fulfilled are kept in the Museum of Offerings at the sprawling Basilica complex.
42-year-old Francis Jacob from Pune, says, "I have been visiting Velankani every year for 30 years since the age of 12, except during the two Covid years. My 76-year-old father has been coming here for 60 years. I have been blessed with a baby boy while my sister has been cured of mouth cancer."
Fatima D'Souza of Gorai, Mumbai, says, "Mother Mary has blessed me immensely. In September 1996, I came to Vailankanni with nothing and no money. My uncle brought me here and paid for my expenses. Within three months, some marriage obstacles got removed and I got married on 7th December, on the same day as my brother. Our family has been blessed with a flourishing hotel business. Ever since, I have been coming for the Feast every year, for the past 30 years."
Fr C Irudayaraj, rector of the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, says, "Pilgrims come from all over the world. In India, we have pilgrims coming in from different parts of Karnataka, including Mysore, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Mumbai and Mizoram. Slowly, we have started receiving devotees from North India. I have met the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and am very thankful to him for giving us special trains from different parts of India including Goa for the feast this year."
He continued, "We have renovated Our Lady's Tank, the place of the first apparition, making it more a place of prayer. We have also renovated the main basilica with Rajasthan white marble. We also have about 2000 rooms in AC and non-AC category for the benefit of pilgrims."
Through her three apparitions in Velankani and other places around the world such as Lourdes in France, Fatima in Portugal, Guadalupe in Mexico, Walsingham in England which have become pilgrim centres, Mother Mary plays a magnanimous role in the Roman Catholic Church and leads millions of devotees to Lord Jesus Christ. Generations after generations shall call her Blessed.