Velankanni Church, Nagapattinam

Velankanni church is called by many names like Our Lady of Good Health, The Lourdes of the East, and the Sacred Arokkia Matha Church (in Tamil).

Geographical location: It is located in the Nagapattinam district of the state of Tamil Nadu, nearly 350 km away from the capital city of Chennai.

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Historical Timeline: It started as a small chapel in the mid-sixteenth century and was later elevated to the status of a parish church. The special status of a minor Basilica was conferred on the church by Pope John XIII and was consecrated in 1962.

Visit timings: On weekdays, masses are held between 5.40 am and 6.00 pm. Considering both the native and foreign visitors, masses are held in various languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, English, etc. Unlike weekdays, the Saturday mass starts a little late, at 7.00 am, and is exclusively in Tamil. It is preceded by a procession of Our Lady of Health around the shrine, which commences at 5.30 am. Sunday masses are held at ... More

Velankanni Church, Nagapattinam

Velankanni church is called by many names like Our Lady of Good Health, The Lourdes of the East, and the Sacred Arokkia Matha Church (in Tamil).

Geographical location: It is located in the Nagapattinam district of the state of Tamil Nadu, nearly 350 km away from the capital city of Chennai.

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Historical Timeline: It started as a small chapel in the mid-sixteenth century and was later elevated to the status of a parish church. The special status of a minor Basilica was conferred on the church by Pope John XIII and was consecrated in 1962.

Visit timings: On weekdays, masses are held between 5.40 am and 6.00 pm. Considering both the native and foreign visitors, masses are held in various languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, English, etc. Unlike weekdays, the Saturday mass starts a little late, at 7.00 am, and is exclusively in Tamil. It is preceded by a procession of Our Lady of Health around the shrine, which commences at 5.30 am. Sunday masses are held at 5 am, 7.30 am, and at 6 pm. Further detailed information regarding the mass services is given on the church website.

Nearby Places: Velankanni beach, one of the scenic beaches in Tamil Nadu is not more than 2 km away from the church. A Tsunami memorial, erected to commemorate those who lost their lives in the 2004 Tsunami, is another site worth a visit. Sikkal Singaravelan Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Muruga, is another touristic attraction in Nagapattinam.

Accommodation: There are nearly 18 church supported lodging facilities including dormitories. So altogether they provide 1672 rooms with 3664 beds. Apart from these, Velankanni is home to more than 50 hotels, including the two supported by the shrine itself.

Accessibility: Many bus services connect Velankanni to the major cities in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Thiruchirappalli and Chennai are the two nearest airports that are situated at a distance of 165 and 300 kilometers respectively. The nearest railway station is, of course, Nagapattinam station, but for people traveling via Trichy, alighting at Thiruvarur is a better option. From Nagapattinam, people can either hire a taxi or hop on a local bus to cover the 12 km distance to reach the shrine. People who choose Thiruvarur can take another local train to reach Velankanni. There are nearly 7 train services that connect Thiruvarur to Velankanni and the journey takes at least an hour.