Our Lady of Snows Kallikulam Shrine
Maria
Tamilnadu (India) is a holy land having vast number of pilgrimage
places of
all major religion. In this mail I would like to inform you about one
of
India's prominent Marian shrine.
Our Lady of Snows Kallikulam is located in Tirunelveli District . In
recent days it became popular because of vision and apparition of Our
Lady. A strong oral tradition attests to Our Lady’s apparition at
Kallikulam. The tradition is built around the following few
significant events:
On 1884, the villagers and Jesuit priests decided to build a new
church in Kallikulam for Mary. They were undecided and confused about
the location of the church.
One day they prayed to Mary and requested her to indicate the location
of the new church. In the next morning on a hot summer day of August,
they found a snow patch on a particular portion of the land. They
believed that Mary only indicated that place to them by a natural
sign. On 1886, a magnificent church was constructed in that place and
consecrated to Our Lady of Snows.
On 29th March 1939, evening around 6.30 pm, Mary appeared on a hill
near to the church. She appeared in the middle of bright white light.
Six young people (Gnana Athikkam,
S.P.John, M.G.Thomas, D.Thasan, R.Thasan, M.A.Thasan) saw that
apparition and informed that to parish priest Rev. Father Marianoos
and the village people. Rev. Father Marianoos and the people were
uncertain about that apparition and decided to request Mary to confirm
that apparition. They prayed to Mary and requested to confirm that
apparition by a natural sign. The next day, on that hot summer
season, the arid zone Kallikulam got an unusual heavy rain after
thirteen years.
Since then, thousands of people of all faiths, from all over India,
have visited Kallikulam and have left spiritually strengthened and
renewed. Countless unbelievers and physically or mentally afflicted,
have been converted and healed. Not only do multitudes of Catholic
travel there throughout the year but many non-Christians visit as
well. Hundreds of miraculous cures are reported every year. Our Lady
of Snows devotions down through the centuries have proved the place to
be of divine origin.
For more information about the shrine one can visit the website
www.panimatha.com
Regards
Rajakumar