Our Lady’s vision to a shepherd boy

According to a 400-year-old story, there was a huge pond in Velankanni with a banyan tree on its banks. A boy who lived in the neighborhood used to carry milk from Velankanni to Nagapattinam. On a hot summer day, exhausted of heat and tormented with thirst, the boy decided to take rest for a while. He drank some water from the pond and soon fell asleep.

Seeing a heavenly apparition of a lady with an adorable child in her hands, he suddenly woke up. She requested some milk and he readily offered it from the pot. Deeply satisfied with his generous act, he started his journey to Nagapattinam carrying the remaining milk. Reaching the customer's house, he gave an elaborate account of what had happened. He further apologized for the unexpected delay and the shortage of milk. But to his surprise, something unusual happened. The pot started brimming with milk and the gentleman couldn't believe his eyes. Moved by the story, the gentleman accompanied by ... More

Our Lady’s vision to a shepherd boy

According to a 400-year-old story, there was a huge pond in Velankanni with a banyan tree on its banks. A boy who lived in the neighborhood used to carry milk from Velankanni to Nagapattinam. On a hot summer day, exhausted of heat and tormented with thirst, the boy decided to take rest for a while. He drank some water from the pond and soon fell asleep.

Seeing a heavenly apparition of a lady with an adorable child in her hands, he suddenly woke up. She requested some milk and he readily offered it from the pot. Deeply satisfied with his generous act, he started his journey to Nagapattinam carrying the remaining milk. Reaching the customer's house, he gave an elaborate account of what had happened. He further apologized for the unexpected delay and the shortage of milk. But to his surprise, something unusual happened. The pot started brimming with milk and the gentleman couldn't believe his eyes. Moved by the story, the gentleman accompanied by the boy set out to see the magic spot. The news spread like wildfire and people started pouring in. People believed that the vision was of Virgin Mary and from that day onwards, the pond came to be known as Mata kulam (Our Lady’s Tank)

Apparition of Our Lady to the Butter milk vendor

Towards the end of the 16th century, a second miracle happened. According to the legend, there lived a poor widow with her lame son in Velankanni. He used to sit under a banyan tree and sell buttermilk to the weary travelers. Out of the blue, a divine figure of a lady carrying a child in her hand appeared in front of him and asked for buttermilk. He instantaneously offered it. The boy was further directed to go in search of a Catholic gentleman who could fulfill her desire of having a chapel in her name in Nagapattinam. He was eager to carry out the mission and on his way found out that his legs had become normal.

On reaching Nagapattinam, the boy who came as an emissary, explained what had happened in his vision. With little doubt, the gentleman promised to build a chapel and a small thatched chapel came into being. Later with the help of locals, certain modifications were done and an altar was erected. A statue of our lady of good health was placed on it.

The miraculous escape of the Portuguese sailors

In the 17th century, a Portuguese ship en route to Colombo got trapped in a violent gale, in the Bay of Bengal. The helpless sailors in the face of death vehemently prayed to Mary, star of the sea, for their rescue. They promised to build a church wherever they land safely and on 8th September, they safely anchored their ship on the shores of Nagapattinam. They fulfilled their promise by changing the existing small shack to a chapel. They kept in touch with Velankanni and on their subsequent visits they gifted the church with various precious adornments.