National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam

National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam വല്ലാര്‍പാടം പള്ളി Basilica de Nossa Senhora do Resgate
National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam വല്ലാര്‍പാടം പള്ളി Basilica de Nossa Senhora do Resgate
9.99°N 76.25°E/9.99; 76.25
Country	India
Denomination	Catholic Church(Latin Church)
Website	[1]
History
Former name(s)	Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Resgate
Status	National shrine Minor Basilica major pilgrim centre of India
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Specifications
Materials	Brick

TheNational Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of RansomakaVallarpadam Basilica(Malayalam:വല്ലാര്‍പാടം പള്ളി,Cochin Portuguese:Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Resgate) located inVallarpadam,a suburb inErnakulam,in the city ofKochi,is aminor basilicaand a majorChristianpilgrimagecentre inIndia.Around 5 million people visit the basilica every year. People from all parts of the world irrespective ofcasteorcreedgo to the church to seek the blessings of theBlessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus,popularly known as "Vallarpadathamma".

Change of status

On September 12th 2004 the Catholic Bishops Conference of India raised this pilgrim center to the status of a "National Shrine". The following DecemberPope John Paul IIgranted the honorific title of Minor Basilica to the church. Documents related to the raising of the status of the Our Lady of Ransom Church on the island were delivered to the Archbishop of Varappuzha Daniel Acharuparampil by the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India,CardinalTelesphore Toppo.

Location

Vallarpadam is situated next toBolgatty Islandon the west, and linked to the Ernakulam mainland via the new Goshree bridges.It is about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 mi) in length in the north-south direction and hosts a population of 10,000 people. Vallarpadam is about one kilometer (½ mile) away from the Ernakulam mainland.

History

The picture of the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus, installed at the top of the main altar of the Vallarpadam Church, was brought byPortuguesemerchants under the leadership ofVasco da Gamain 1524. In 1676 the old church, which was known as the Church of the Holy Spirit, founded by the Portuguese missionaries, was destroyed by a heavy flood, and the picture was found floating in the backwaters. Nobody except Paliyath Raman Valiyachan, the prime minister of Maharaja of Cochin, could recover it. The present church at Vallarpadamis is built on land donated by Paliyath Raman Valiyachan. Asanctuary lampwhich he donated has been burning day and night from 1676 onwards in his honour.

In May 1752 a miracle is believed to have taken place which made Vallarpadam a centre of pilgrimage. In Vallarpadam there was a youngNairlady named Meenakshi Amma, who was a member of a noble family called Palliyil Veedu. Together with her son she was sailing to Mattancherry. There arose a storm and the boat capsized. Meenakshi Amma and her son went deep down into the backwater. She promised to devote the rest of her life to Mary’s service if she and her child were saved. It was a promise she kept. On the third day, as per instructions in a dream, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Miguel Correa, asked the fishermen to cast net in the river, and Meenakshi Amma and her son were rescued. After her death, the church put up the picture of Meenakshiamma and her child alongside the painting of Mary.

A panoramic view of Vallarpadam Basilica

Festival

The Feast of Vallarpadathamma is celebrated from 16 to 24 September every year. Thousands of pilgrims come to Vallarpadam to participate in the feast, especially on 24 September.

Photo gallery

• 
  Old view of Vallarpadam Church, Kochi, Kerala, India
• 
  Vallarpadam Church lighted up for the Feast

See also

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly
• Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
• Basilica of Our lady of Mount Carmel & St Joseph
• St. Philomena's Forane Church & St. Chavara Pilgrim Centre
• Latin Catholics of Malabar

External links

• Official Website
• Vallarpadam Shrine