Our Lady Of Health Vailankanni Shrine

Vailankanni Parish

Vailankanni was a part of the parish of Nagapattinam, but as pilgrims began to pour into Vailankanni, it was raised to the status of an independent parish in 1771, and Fr. Antonio de Rozario the last parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Nagapattinam, was appointed the first Parish priest of Vailankanni. Nagapattinam had always been under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of the Diocese of Mylapore. During that period the Diocese of Mylapore was administered under the Portuguese 'Padroado' (patronage). Under the Padroado system, the king of Portugal in Europe met all the expenses incurred by the Diocese of Mylapore, which remained under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiffs.

Until 1847 the priests of St. Franciscan Missionaries who had looked after the province of Goa and Mylapore also looked after Nagapattinam and Vailankanni. The Franciscan origin and ownership of the Shrine was also perpetuated, by giving the place of honor to two Franciscan saints, St. Anthony of Lisbon and St. Francis of Assisi, on either side of the miraculous image of 'Our Lady', on the High Altar until 1961. Besides the last parish priest, Miguel Francisco Fernandez, who was of the Franciscan order, controlled the parish of Vailankanni till 1889. In 1890 the parish was handed over to diocesan priests.

Thereafter, the diocesan priests of the Diocese of Mylapore were in charge of Vailankanni. In 1952, when the new Diocese of Thanjavur came into being, and Vailankanni became a part of the new diocese, the priests of Thanjavur Diocese became the custodians of the Shrine. The administration of the new Diocese was temporarily placed under the apostolic administration of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias, S.D.B., who was then the Archbishop of the new Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore.

On March 19, 1953, His Excellency the Rev. Dr. R. Arokiasamy Sundaram, DD., L. C. L., M. A., a priest of Mylapore Archdiocese was appointed as the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Thanjavur. He assumed charge of his Diocese on March 24, 1953.

Vailankanni being situated in the Thanjavur District came under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Thanjavur. The Rev. Dr. R. Arokiasamy Sundaram showed keen interest in the development of Vailankanni Shrine and granted special spiritual privileges. 'Our Lady of Health Vailankanni' became the second patroness of our newly erected Diocese.

Elevation of the Shrine to the status of a Basilica

The greatest houour that can be conferred to a Church is to elevate it to the status of a Basilica. The word ‘Basilica’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Basilike’ and it originally signified a Royal Hall. In course of time this word has come to mean a large and beautiful hall. In ancient times kings from all over the world in general, and from Rome in particular, constructed large hall for administrative purposes. The first hall bearing the name of Basilica existed in Athens.

Jesus Christ being the King of Kings, and His Churches being His audience halls, the larger Christian Churches in Rome came to be called Basilicas.

Today, a Basilica is a consecrated Church usually built with the front facing the East, and generally constructed in one of the classical styles of architecture. It is oblong in shape with a broad nave ending in an apse. It is now stipulated that a church, in order to be called a Basilica, should contain some work of art, or it should contain some work of art, or it should house the body of a saint or a celebrated image much venerated in the land, or be a pre-eminent place of pilgrimage.

His Excellency, Dr. R.A. Sundaram D.D., L.C.L., M.A., the first Bishop of the diocese of Thanjavur, earnestly petitioned Pope John XXIII to raise the Shrine of Vailankanni to the Status of a Basilica and also requested His Holiness to enrich it with all the privileges attached to a Basilica for the spiritual benefit of the pilgrims. In 1962, when Bishop Sundaram went to Rome to attend the second session of the Second Vatican Council, he reiterated his request to the Holy Father personally to raise the Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni to the lofty status of a Minor Basilica. After examining the request carefully, His Holiness Pope John XXIII, of saintly memory, issued orders raising the Shrine to the exalted status of a Minor Basilica. Thus the Shrine of Vailankanni became the Shrine Basilica of Vailankanni in November 1962 and was linked to the St. Mary’s Major Basilica in Rome.

Chronological List Of Parish Priests

1777 Jul  -  Rev.Fr.Antonio de Rosario, Commissary
1779 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.Luis dos Remedios
1783 Jan  -  Rev.Fr.Antonio de Rosario, Commissary
1788 Dec  -  Rev.Fr.Antonio do Jesus Maria Jose
1789 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.Antonio de Rosario Commissary
1792 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.Jos Roza de Giterbo Commissary & V. F.
1814 May  -  Rev.Fr.Constantine de Jesus Maria Commissary
1819 May  -  Rev.Fr.Thomas de Piedade
1822 Feb  -  Rev.Fr.Francisco Xavier Masearenhas
1822 Aug  -  Rev.Fr.Francisco Das Dores
1824 May  -  Rev.Fr.Felipe de Jesus
1825 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.Francisco Dos Dores
1828 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.Felipe de Jesus
1829 May  -  Rev.Fr.Clemente Das Dores
1847 Oct  -  Rev.Fr.Isidore Manuel Alimao
1858 Apl  -  Rev.Fr.Jose Felis Fernandes AG.PP
1863 Nov  -  Rev.Fr.Felipe Nery Joaquim Dias
1876 May  -  Rev.Fr.Ignacio Antonio d' Andrade
1886 Aug  -  Rev.Fr.Miguel Francisco Fernandes
1890 Dec  -  Rev.Fr.Joaquim Jose Ag. P. Vic. Nagapattinam
1891 Feb  -  Rev.Fr.Cuilherme Jose Dias
1892 Dec  -  Rev.Fr.Joaquim Jose Luis Ag. P. Vic. Nagapattinam
1893 Mar  -  Rev.Fr.Martinho Valeriane de Sa
1899 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.Joaquim Francisco da Fiedade Dias
1900 Aug  -  Rev.Fr.Camilla Fernandes
1910 Aug  -  Rev.Fr.Sebastio Xavier de Noronha
1942 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.M. V. Rodrigues
1963 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.S.Mariasusai
1980 Sep  -  Very Rev.Msgr.Thomas Vaz
1982 Sep  -  Rev.Fr.S.L.Gabriel
1990 Dec  -  Rev.Fr.M.M.Sammanasu, Rector & Parish Priest
1997 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.G.Arul Irudayam, Rector & Parish Priest
2003 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.P.Xavier, Rector
2003 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.F.Antonisamy, Vice-Rector & PP
2008 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.B.Arokiadoss, Vice-Rector & PP
2009 Jun  -  Rev.Fr.A.Michael, Rector

	29.08.2010
Our Lady’s Flag hoisting will be live-telecast in our web tv
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	30.08.2010
Our Lady’s car procession will be live-telecast in our web tv
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	03.09.2010
Way of the Cross in four languages.
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	07.09.2010
Concelebrated Holy Mass presided by our Bishop
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	08.09.2010
Concelebrated Feast Mass our Bishop
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	08.09.2010
The Lowering of Our Lady’s Flag
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	08.09.2010
Litany, Benediction and Mass in Tamil
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