Ave Maria! PoondiMatha Shrine, Tamilnadu, India: West to East Pilgrimage travels 2012

http://www.poondimadhabasilica.org/

http://www.poondimadhabasilica.org/Listtestimonials.aspx

Poondi Madha Basilica

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Poondi Matha Basilica
Basic information
LocationPoondi, Tamil Nadu,India
AffiliationRoman Catholic
Year consecratedEighteenth century beginning
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusMinor Basilica
Architectural description
Architectural styleGothic and French architecture
Specifications
Our Lady of Lourdes Basilica, Poondi, is a Catholic pilgrimage centre located in Tamil Nadu, South India. Poondi is a small village located in Thiruvaiyaru Taluk (also spelled as Taluka), about 35 km away[1] from Thanjavur. It is considered as one of the Roman Catholic Pilgrim centres similar to Velankanni, which houses the famous Poondi Madha Shrine that attracts pilgrims from all over India.

Contents

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[edit]History

Rev. Fr. Constantine Joseph Beschi S.J., an Italian Jesuit missionary, built the Church of Mary Queen of Immaculate Conception between 1714 and 1718. He was popularly known as Veeramamunivar.
Rev. Fr. Lourdes Xavier, parish priest of the church, noticed in 1955 that the roof looked unsound. An engineer told him that the central roof was unsafe, but the rest of the structure was strong and recommended the roof be renewed.
Later, on a rainy night, the roof of the church collapsed, leaving everything else intact, thus saving the cost of taking down the roof. After this the number of pilgrims to the shrine increased and accounts of miracles and cures started to spread. The local people called Mary Poondi Matha. Matha means Mother in Tamil. The shrine became known as Poondi Matha shrine.
Poondi Madha Shrine was officially classified a Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II on 3 August, 1999.

[edit]Shrine

The present structure of the shrine has a mixture of Gothic and French architectural styles. The facade above the portico has a row of statues of the Twelve Apostles, St. Francis Xavier and Fr. Constantine Joseph Beschi. The church has a relic of the True Cross, believed to be the one on which Christ was crucified.

[edit]See also

[edit]References

  1. ^ http://travel.sulekha.com/poondi-madha-basilica_thanjavur-travelogue-4176.htm

[edit]External links





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