Our Lady of Vailankanni
A devotion that dates back to the 16th century, Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as Our Lady of Good Health in India, is Sept. 8.
The Vatican and Pope Francis officially recognized the devotion at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni as a major pilgrimage center and acknowledges the miraculous healings and solace experienced by millions of visitors.
In a letter to the bishop of Thanjavur, India, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote:
“(T)he same Virgin Mary who manifested herself at Lourdes also manifested herself in India as the Mother of Health.
“It is not merely a matter of bodily health, but also one that touches the soul. Contemplating the image of Mary, we can all recognize the love of Jesus Christ that can heal our sadness, our anguish and our fears. If we pause before Mary, even in a brief moment of faith and love, her maternal gaze restores peace to us.
“The first account, which is ancient, is filled with rich symbolism because the boy to whom Mary showed herself offered her the milk he had brought with him for the Child she was carrying in her arms. This was an expression of the generosity of those who are willing to give something to others, in their own poverty. You do not need to have much in order to be generous. May this call to share, to assist, to be close to those who need us always resonate in this place. Mary loves the generosity of her children, who put into action the words of Jesus: “What you did to one of the least of my brothers, you did to me” (Mt 25, 40).
“Through the centuries, Mary has continued to act in this place. Some Portuguese sailors told how the Virgin protected them from a storm at sea and thereafter they decided to build the church. How can we fail to remember the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 whose destructive waters did not damage the church?
“The millions of pilgrims who travel here out of faith, and the many spiritual fruits that are produced at this Shrine, make us recognize the constant action of the Holy Spirit in this place.”
