"I will be with you always to the end of the world": Pilgrimage
There are many kinds of travels. Among the travels, there is a kind of travel which include visiting and enjoying spiritual destinations, which are churches, shrines, and cathedrals. Besides believers, many archeological travellers and art loving people are also interested in these destinations. Some visit churches as part of their tourist destinations and few visit spiritual destinations as part of their spiritual faith enhancing exercise, which is called pilgrimage. When I think of some of the pilgrimage travels we have made as family, the place comes to my mind is Our Lady of Velankanni, shrine, located in TamilNadu, south India. It is a miraculous place, where people come from all over India and world with various intercessions and their prayers are answered, for this reason, it is called as eastern lourdu. Physical, mental, spiritual, social, and economical healings are every day event at this shrine. Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and all the religion come to this destination to pray with intercessions to mother Mary and all recieve the spiritual blessings through the intercession of Our Lady of Velankanni.
Spiritual destinations of churches and cathetrals, shrines, and basilicas are some of the natural testamonies and reminders of heavenly presence on earth. They are natural evangelical instruments for the world. I think, people and faithful visiting them on tours and pilgrimages is a symbolic representation of journey towards heaven, as we are all travellers in this world. Every year we travel during summer, which is a part of our family schedule. When we were in India, we went to this shrine every year without fail. Now when we go for holidays to India between few years apart, when we go, one among our do list in India is to visit Our Lady of Velankanni and pray for her intercessions on our life. Miraculous Mother has been effective intercessor in our family and she continues to be, as we have kept our family sheltered in Her Immaculate Heart and in Her Son's Sacred Heart. Alliance of Immaculate Heart and Sacred Heart is the refuge and hiding place, and the resource for our family. We have recieved many many blessings year after year from Our Lady of Velankanni. On that note, something very special happened during last year visit, which I would like to place here for the glory of God and to highlight the intercessary favor of Our Lady of Velannkani.
As I am unable to travel this year to see Mother Velankanni, I place this writing in the place of our pilgrimage to Velankanni. This blog is blessed by holding her picture in the front page.
For many years we were having a plan to enthrone Mother Velankanni Statue ( Image) in our house, which is a practice in India. But we could not accomplish that plan for various reasons. From May 2011 to May 2012 was a special year for our family as we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. During this year, we have enveloped our house with Sacred heart Image and Immaculate Heart of Mary, as we renewed our sacred vows of Holy Matrimony this year. In the thanksgiving spirit for the gifts and blessings for 25 years celebrations of our marriage, we enthroned Sacred Heart statue ( Image) at our front yard in the month of May 2011 to mark the begining of the 25th anniversary celebration, we created a Holy Family garden at the backyard in the month of October 2011, and continued part of our celebrations activities we planned again to enthrone Our Lady of Velankanni Statue at our home in India. We shopped for a suitable statue with lots of prayers. We had ordered a statue many months ago through St. Pauls Store at Madras, India. The Statue was order to make, which was made from Kerala. The statue was ready by December, when the statue was on the way to the house, a big strike broke out in India, due to the despute between two states including Tamilnadu our state and Kerala the neighboring state over water issue. The Strike was hard no travel wss possible between these two states so Our Lady of Velankanni Statue was waiting in the Lorry ( A comercial transport truck) by the sides of the road many days on travel, finaly strike became too harsh that lated for few days. No Lorry could enter into Tamil nadu state from Kerala. As a result, Our lady Statue returned back to kerala by the commercial transport system. This was the first journey of the sttue with no success. We were still praying and waiting without the knowledge of this event details. Next, the statue was carried by a family who travelled by their private car, because the private transports have had access to Tamil Nadu. Strike progressed in epical phenomenon that there were incidence of violence on the roads, that closed the door for private cars, so the statue returned to Kerala from the way, which was secong attempt. Now, the brother, who is incharge of the store called us and said it is not possible to bring the statue within our holidays, so he adviced us to select another statue from Madras itself. Knowing the situation, we began our search again for Our Lady of Velankanni statue. We looked every where, we found one suitable statue in Besant Nagar, Velankanni Church Madras, when we were about to buy that only statue available, which was there for many years, was sold to the another family who was just standing in front of us after we selected the statue. I lost my patience and became restless but none to blame. I had spent the whole day on this venture and prayed multiple rosaries during the search. The sister who is incharge of the store told me that that statue which was just sold had been there for many years but just got sold. Knowing that pulled down our spirit, my heart limbed but something told me, it is my inner thought hinted me that may be the statue from Kerala is on its way. I was deeply praying saying, Mom please come to my house." I called the brother again to find out the status on statue with faith, with no positive results, he repeated the same story that it was impossible during our holidays. I told brother to inquire about it again. He said he would. We spent another day in prayer during our other holiday events. My mind and soul were saturated with the thoughts of enthronement of Our Lady of velankanni at home. Just after about eight hours of my conversation with brother, a phone call came from brother informing us that Mother Mary Statue is on the way to Madras through the family who brought the statue from kerala, send the statue through another family traveling to Madras via Bangalore an alternate route, as if Mother Mary decided to circumvent the situation by the alternate route. He said now the statue is on the way from Kerala, it is matter of few hours I will let you know when it arrives. I jumbed in recieving that call, my husband and children rejoiced, I was in tears at the miraculous act of Mother Mary in persistent to fufil our heart's desire for 25th Wedding anniversary. It was a miraculous gesture of Mother Mary who travelled with many ordeals still reached us in time to bless us. When I think of it my heart and mind explodes in spiritual joy knowing Immaculate heart of Mary's intercession and protection is upon our family and every family on the world.
We as family went to St, Paul store to recieve Our Lady Of Velankanni. I will not forget the moment first I laid eyes on her Image. She looked beautiful, radiant, divine, and loving, holding her son on her
left hand and a daisy garland on the right hand. This daily garland is not a usual appearance of Our Lady of velankanni. Holding the Daisy garland was very significant to us because that year, I was awarded DAISY award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty. This garland signified that this state was meant for our family. I was holding her tight close to my body as my husband was driving the car. We got the blessing on the statue by the parish priest Rev. Fr. Paul Bharathi on the way home, and we welcomed Mother Mary's image into our home. Nun sisters came and prayed with us during enthronement. My house in India is situated in an area where there are not many Christians. It is a area where hindus are in dominance and have few Muslims. We are the only catholics for the entire street. whole street gathered in front of the house when we raised the statue on the stand. Many hindu and Muslim neighbors see her presence as blessing to the street. We are blessed continiously by her miraculous presence. We are blessed by Mother Mary's image presence on our 25th wedding anniversary year, which is a great spiritual gift. Please enjoy the pictures which captured the joy and blessings of the moment. The flowers and garland arround the neck were brought by the neighbors to welcome Mother Mary.
AVE Maria!
Spiritual destinations of churches and cathetrals, shrines, and basilicas are some of the natural testamonies and reminders of heavenly presence on earth. They are natural evangelical instruments for the world. I think, people and faithful visiting them on tours and pilgrimages is a symbolic representation of journey towards heaven, as we are all travellers in this world. Every year we travel during summer, which is a part of our family schedule. When we were in India, we went to this shrine every year without fail. Now when we go for holidays to India between few years apart, when we go, one among our do list in India is to visit Our Lady of Velankanni and pray for her intercessions on our life. Miraculous Mother has been effective intercessor in our family and she continues to be, as we have kept our family sheltered in Her Immaculate Heart and in Her Son's Sacred Heart. Alliance of Immaculate Heart and Sacred Heart is the refuge and hiding place, and the resource for our family. We have recieved many many blessings year after year from Our Lady of Velankanni. On that note, something very special happened during last year visit, which I would like to place here for the glory of God and to highlight the intercessary favor of Our Lady of Velannkani.
As I am unable to travel this year to see Mother Velankanni, I place this writing in the place of our pilgrimage to Velankanni. This blog is blessed by holding her picture in the front page.
For many years we were having a plan to enthrone Mother Velankanni Statue ( Image) in our house, which is a practice in India. But we could not accomplish that plan for various reasons. From May 2011 to May 2012 was a special year for our family as we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. During this year, we have enveloped our house with Sacred heart Image and Immaculate Heart of Mary, as we renewed our sacred vows of Holy Matrimony this year. In the thanksgiving spirit for the gifts and blessings for 25 years celebrations of our marriage, we enthroned Sacred Heart statue ( Image) at our front yard in the month of May 2011 to mark the begining of the 25th anniversary celebration, we created a Holy Family garden at the backyard in the month of October 2011, and continued part of our celebrations activities we planned again to enthrone Our Lady of Velankanni Statue at our home in India. We shopped for a suitable statue with lots of prayers. We had ordered a statue many months ago through St. Pauls Store at Madras, India. The Statue was order to make, which was made from Kerala. The statue was ready by December, when the statue was on the way to the house, a big strike broke out in India, due to the despute between two states including Tamilnadu our state and Kerala the neighboring state over water issue. The Strike was hard no travel wss possible between these two states so Our Lady of Velankanni Statue was waiting in the Lorry ( A comercial transport truck) by the sides of the road many days on travel, finaly strike became too harsh that lated for few days. No Lorry could enter into Tamil nadu state from Kerala. As a result, Our lady Statue returned back to kerala by the commercial transport system. This was the first journey of the sttue with no success. We were still praying and waiting without the knowledge of this event details. Next, the statue was carried by a family who travelled by their private car, because the private transports have had access to Tamil Nadu. Strike progressed in epical phenomenon that there were incidence of violence on the roads, that closed the door for private cars, so the statue returned to Kerala from the way, which was secong attempt. Now, the brother, who is incharge of the store called us and said it is not possible to bring the statue within our holidays, so he adviced us to select another statue from Madras itself. Knowing the situation, we began our search again for Our Lady of Velankanni statue. We looked every where, we found one suitable statue in Besant Nagar, Velankanni Church Madras, when we were about to buy that only statue available, which was there for many years, was sold to the another family who was just standing in front of us after we selected the statue. I lost my patience and became restless but none to blame. I had spent the whole day on this venture and prayed multiple rosaries during the search. The sister who is incharge of the store told me that that statue which was just sold had been there for many years but just got sold. Knowing that pulled down our spirit, my heart limbed but something told me, it is my inner thought hinted me that may be the statue from Kerala is on its way. I was deeply praying saying, Mom please come to my house." I called the brother again to find out the status on statue with faith, with no positive results, he repeated the same story that it was impossible during our holidays. I told brother to inquire about it again. He said he would. We spent another day in prayer during our other holiday events. My mind and soul were saturated with the thoughts of enthronement of Our Lady of velankanni at home. Just after about eight hours of my conversation with brother, a phone call came from brother informing us that Mother Mary Statue is on the way to Madras through the family who brought the statue from kerala, send the statue through another family traveling to Madras via Bangalore an alternate route, as if Mother Mary decided to circumvent the situation by the alternate route. He said now the statue is on the way from Kerala, it is matter of few hours I will let you know when it arrives. I jumbed in recieving that call, my husband and children rejoiced, I was in tears at the miraculous act of Mother Mary in persistent to fufil our heart's desire for 25th Wedding anniversary. It was a miraculous gesture of Mother Mary who travelled with many ordeals still reached us in time to bless us. When I think of it my heart and mind explodes in spiritual joy knowing Immaculate heart of Mary's intercession and protection is upon our family and every family on the world.
We as family went to St, Paul store to recieve Our Lady Of Velankanni. I will not forget the moment first I laid eyes on her Image. She looked beautiful, radiant, divine, and loving, holding her son on her
left hand and a daisy garland on the right hand. This daily garland is not a usual appearance of Our Lady of velankanni. Holding the Daisy garland was very significant to us because that year, I was awarded DAISY award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty. This garland signified that this state was meant for our family. I was holding her tight close to my body as my husband was driving the car. We got the blessing on the statue by the parish priest Rev. Fr. Paul Bharathi on the way home, and we welcomed Mother Mary's image into our home. Nun sisters came and prayed with us during enthronement. My house in India is situated in an area where there are not many Christians. It is a area where hindus are in dominance and have few Muslims. We are the only catholics for the entire street. whole street gathered in front of the house when we raised the statue on the stand. Many hindu and Muslim neighbors see her presence as blessing to the street. We are blessed continiously by her miraculous presence. We are blessed by Mother Mary's image presence on our 25th wedding anniversary year, which is a great spiritual gift. Please enjoy the pictures which captured the joy and blessings of the moment. The flowers and garland arround the neck were brought by the neighbors to welcome Mother Mary.
AVE Maria!
AVE MARIA!
Hello,Could you tell me what the daisy garland represents? What else is on the garland,the triangle shapes? On other images of Our Lady of Velankanni,what are the round discs that have a crown in them? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt is just a garland. No special meaning to it.
ReplyDelete