At the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, millions of devotees flock to Tamil Nadu, India, to venerate the Mother of God over the course of an 11-day annual festival held across major Basilicas and Shrines in the South Indian state.
By Andrea Rego and Fr. Ritchie Vincent
On September 8, millions of devotees joyously celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the “Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health,” known locally as the “Basilica of Annai Velankanni,” in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India.
The devotion to “Our Lady of Good Health” fosters a sense of unity among the people of all walks of life, who gathered to glorify God for the life of Mary, the epitome of grace and humility.
Festivities in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The festivities began on August 29 with an inaugural ceremony with Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj, Bishop of Thanjvur, hositing the “Ave Maria Flag” while the faithful offered prayers. Over the span of eleven days, which included a novena to Our Lady of Good Health, prayers and Masses were offered 14 times a day from morning to evening in Tamil, English, Marathi, Konkani, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi.
On September 7, Archbishop Francis Kalist, Archbishop of Pondicherry-Cuddalore, presided over Holy Mass, after which the chariot procession of the adorned Blessed Virgin Mary processed through the basilica grounds at night, leading to a joyful cake-cutting ceremony at midnight to celebrate the Virgin Mary’s birthday.
The celebrations continued on September 8 with a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Thamburaj early in the morning, and the celebration continued throughout the day with Rosary recitations and continuous prayers by the faithful.
Archbishop George Antonysamy celebrating Mass at the Velankanni Shrine
Festivities across the state and nation
At Annai Velankanni Shrine in Besant Nagar, Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, another pilgrimage centre dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health witnessed thousands of pilgrims walking on foot to attend Holy Mass on the day of the Feast to seek Our Lady’s intercession.
This year, the Shrine welcomed over a million pilgrims at the flag-hoisting ceremony presided over by the Archbishop George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore, marking first day of the 11-day feast.
The feast was grandly celebrated across various Indian cities, including Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune, to name a few, with each city boasting its own traditions and infusing their unique cultures with the Church celebration as a way of honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary on her birthday.
Procession at the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health Velankanni
Vellankani: the ‘Lourdes of the East’
The title “Annai Velangkanni” comes from the Tamil language, where “Annai” means Mother and “Velangkanni”, the name of a village in coastal Tamil Nadu (South India), namely Velankanni, a village where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared in the 16th century.
The Basilica of Annai Velankanni in Tamil Nadu is built in the Gothic style, and its founding is attributed to the two apparitions of Our Lady in the 16th century and the saving of the Portuguese sailors from a tempest in the Bay of Bengal in the later 17th century.
On November 3, 1962, Pope John XXIII elevated the Shrine to the status of “Basilica,” bestowing on it the title of “Lourdes of the East”. The factors that led to the elevation of the Shrine to a Basilica were the apparitions of Our Lady, the Miraculous statue of Our Lady, the countless miracles and the magnificent architecture of the Shrine.
Basilica of Annai Vailankanni, Nagapattinam District
Unity among people of all faiths
Centuries after the apparitions, the 11-day festival and celebrations are still observed with grandeur each year.
This year alone, the Basilica of Annai Velankanni saw a footfall of 3 million devotees over the span of eleven days. The Basilica is one of the most frequented religious sites in India, where Hindus, Muslims and Christians from all over India gather in large numbers to worship in harmony. Every year, hundreds of miraculous cures are reported.
The fervent devotion to Mother Mary both by Hindus and Christians has evolved into a cultural amalgamation of practices that borrows elements from both religions.
Few of these practices by the devotees seeking favors from the Blessed Mother, include tonsuring their heads as an offering, performing an ear-boring ceremony, bathing in the sea, walking on knees or rolling in the shrine as a ritual.
Archbishop Francis Kalist presided over Mass before the Procession at Velankanni
