Millions of pilgrims on foot towards the Lourdes of the East

Millions of pilgrims on foot towards the Lourdes of the East
Each year, over 5 million faithful visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Vailankanni. Over 3 million of these undertake the journey between August 29th and September 8th to celebrate the Blessed Virgin, despite the searing heat and distance.

Chennai (AsiaNews/Ucan) – As the end of August approached, groups of Marian devotees dressed in saffron dotted highways leaving Chennai. They walked a slow but steady pace in the sultry weather. While many walked barefoot, some carried flags and a few pulled small cars decorated with images of the Blessed Mother.

Every year thousands of pilgrims from around Tamil Nadu state walk to Vailankanni (virgin of Velai), India's most popular Marian shrine. The festival begins at the shrine on Aug. 29 with a flag hoisting, and ends on Sept. 8 with a car procession. Church officials say nearly 3 million people visit the shrine during the festival season..

Vailankanni, also known as the Lourdes of the East, is India's most popular Marian shrine, situated some 310 kilometres south of Chennai. Thanjavur diocese manages the shrine. The Blessed Mother is said to have appeared to a disabled Hindu boy at the site in the 16th century and healed him. Around 5 million people visit the Catholic shrine from all over India every year. More than half the pilgrims are from other religions.

Selvam Victor, 43, led a group of 12 from Chennai, the Tamil Nadu capital, 2,100 kilometres south of New Delhi. "We take this journey of faith to express our love and devotion to the Blessed Mother. This journey is difficult and tiring, but the number of pilgrims walking every year has only increased”.

As preparation for the pilgrimage, Victor, an electrician, turned vegetarian and did not shave or cut his hair. He wore saffron, the colour denoting renunciation, and attended daily Mass.

After walking for three hours, Victor's group reached Tamara, on Chennai's outskirts, where they rested in a temporary shelter put up by local Catholics. After resting and filling up water bottles, the group resumed the walk, praying the rosary in Tamil. The group would stop at many more places during their 11-day walk.

Maria Susai, 28, a member of Victor's group, started to feel pain when his feet swelled the first day. The carpenter, who was making his first walking trip to the shrine, was not deterred. "I know this is difficult, but I will finish the trip with the blessing of Our Lady of Vailankanni”.

Soon, another group joined Victor's. "As the journey progresses, the number of groups joining together will increase, along with the sense of mutual admiration, love and solidarity," Victor observed. The youngest member in the new group was sixth-grader Arockia Mary, whose name means Our Lady of Health in Tamil. Her mother, Celine Josephine, told UCA News: "I was childless for six years. My child was born with the blessing of the Blessed Mother, so we have named her after the Blessed Mother”.

The woman, now making her third trip, said walking to the shrine is both penance and an expression of love. "During the journey, we reflect on our lives, our blessings and our sufferings”. Her daughter was accompanying her for the first time. "I will finish the journey and get blessed by Mother Mary”.

Pilgrims stay at various parishes and make arrangements for food before they start their journey. "Parishes are the best place to stay, as they are safe," said Franklin Vinod, another group leader. To avoid the harsh weather during the day, some pilgrims walk during the early morning and rest during the hotter hours.

Maria Selvam, 55, another member of Victor's group, said cell phones help pilgrims keep in touch with family members at home. This has made everyone feel safer and more secure.

After reaching Vailankanni, pilgrims visit the shrine, tonsure heads, take a bath in the nearby sea and change to street dress to mark the pilgrimage's end. But until they reach the shrine, the gentle recitation of the rosary will be heard on the highways of Tamil Nadu.

From a treavel site in India

Vailankann History and Transport


VAILANKANNI where the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health gloriously stands, is situated on the East Coast 10 kms to the south of Nagapattinam which is 350 kms to the South of Chennai the Capital of TamilNadu, India. The history behind the global fame of Our Lady of Health, is founded on three events that took place intermittently since the 16th Century at Vailankanni. The foremost incident is the Apparition of Our Lady, Mother of Jesus, which occurred during the pleasant daybreak on a sunny day in the 16th century, when a shepherd boy, carrying milk was on his way as was his daily practice, from Vailankannai to his master at Nagapattinam. Despite the morning freshness, fatigue overcame the little dutiful boy as he was passing by a water pond at the Anna pill street at Vailankanni. Placing the milk-pot near the banyan tree by the water pond, the boy fell into an unusual slumber, only to be startled to his feet by the sweet vision of a most graceful Lady of exquisite beauty, holding in her hand a most charming child of divine appearance. Both wore celestial halos around their heads. As the boy was still in a world of surprise, shock and happiness the Lady asked of him some milk for her child. Filled with reverence and awe, the boy offered milk. The heavenly smile of the Child and Mother was the only message. The impatient master did not believe the narration of the boy. But to the greater astonishment of all present, the milk began to surge over the pot and flow out. On reaching the place of apparition, the gentleman and others began to believe in the heavenly Lady. This place began to be called, "Our Lady's Tank". Around the end of the 16th century, there lived at Vailankanni a poor widow with her son who was lame by birth. Every day the lame boy used to sit under a banyan tree at a place called 'Nadu Thittu' (central mound) and sell butter-milk to the thirsty wayfarers. On a certain day, to his bewilderment, a very bright light appeared in front of him and from amidst the light, a Lady of peerless grace with a divine Child in her arms, asked the boy for a cup of butter-milk. Then She directed him to go and inform a catholic gentleman at Nagapattinam to put up a Chapel in her name on the spot of her apparition. The boy realised that his lame legs have become normal upon the word from the Lady. With great joy, he buoyantly ran to Nagapattinam to carry out the errand. Having been already directed in vision by Our Lady, the Catholic gentleman, with the support of the people, built a Chapel at 'Nadu Thittu' where now stands the present Shrine Basilica. The Lady was called, 'Our Lady of Good Health'. In the 17th century, a Portuguese merchant vessel, sailing from Macao in China to Colombo in Ceylon was caught in a tempest in the Bay of Bengal. The helpless sailors besought Mary the Star of the Sea to save them. They vowed to build a Church in her name, wherever they could land safely on. The stormy sea became calm. Their ship landed near the shore of Vailankanni on the 8th September, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady. They transformed the thatched Chapel erected by the catholic gentleman of Nagapattinam into a beautiful stone-built Chapel. On their next visit, they decorated the Altar with porcelain plates, illustrating biblical themes. These plates giving testimony to their thanksgiving to Our Lady, are seen even today around the throne of the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Health, over the main altar of the Shrine Basilica. From that time the Feast of Our Lady of Health is celebrated every year preceded by hoisting of the flag on 29th August. During these ten day's about 15 to 20 lakhs of people visit the Shrine Basilica.

I believe Our Lord is making His presence known in all kinds of ways. There is a place of pilgrimage that I believe is the REAL Lourdes of the United States in Rome City, Indiana.

I have seen our Lord’s likeness, along with angels and babies, in the clouds over Rome City, IN at the site where Our Lady of America first appeared in 1956. Many wonderful things are taking place there (healings and conversions) and people are coming from all over the USA to experience it. There is a rosary and Mass every Friday that is sometimes overflowing with faithful visitors. You can get their schedule at www.oltiv.org. Our Lord is calling.

Please pray for the US Bishops and learn all you can about Our Lady of America.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.