Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is a major Roman Catholic shrine located in the coastal town of Velankanni in Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu. Dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, it is one of the most visited pilgrimage centres in India, often called the 'Lourdes of the East'. The white Gothic-style basilica complex includes the main shrine, extension basilica, and Our Lady's Tank, attracting pilgrims throughout the year.

Visitors can expect a large white Gothic-style basilica complex facing the Bay of Bengal, with a main shrine, extension basilica, Morning Star Church, shrine museum, prayer halls, and Our Lady's Tank. The interior features altars, statues of Our Lady of Good Health, stained glass and votive offerings. The surroundings include open plazas, pilgrim accommodation, shops selling religious articles, and Velankanni Beach nearby. Daily masses and novenas are held, and the complex is generally crowded, especially during festival season.

Tradition associates the site with three apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the 16th and 17th centuries - to a shepherd boy, to a lame buttermilk vendor, and to Portuguese sailors rescued from a storm. Portuguese sailors built a small chapel in the late 16th century, which was later expanded. The church was elevated to the status of Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1962. The present Gothic-style structure and extension basilica reflect successive expansions to accommodate pilgrims.

Known as the 'Lourdes of the East', the basilica is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage centres in India and attracts pilgrims of various faiths. It is renowned for votive offerings and beliefs related to healing and is central to the annual 11-day feast from 29 August to 8 September, which draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims with processions, flag hoisting and special masses.