Statue of Our Lady of Vailankanni

On September 8, we celebrate the Nativity of Mary, reflecting on the moment the Blessed Mother was brought into this world.

Did you know that the devotion to Our Lady of Good Health has a special connection to the Nativity of Mary? On this holy day, a group of Portuguese sailors miraculously arrived on land after facing a menacing storm on the seas. As we meditate on the Nativity of Mary, we reflect on how she has appeared to the faithful in Vailankanni and take strength from her protection and deliverance.

History of the Devotion of Our Lady of Good Health

The devotion to Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni, first originated in the mid-16th century following the occurrence of three miracles. First, there was the apparition of Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy. Then, a lame buttermilk vendor was miraculously healed. Finally, after a group of Portuguese sailors were saved from a violent storm at sea, they were inspired to build a shrine to Our Lady at Vailankanni. The chapel was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of Mary, the day of their safe landing.

This year, the Vatican has approved devotion at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni, India. On August 8th, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) confirmed to Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj of Thanjavur that God's action is present at the shrine.

20 million pilgrims from India and abroad visit the shrine each year, 3 million of whom visit during the 11-day festival held from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8 in honor of Our Lady of Good Health.

More than 300 years after the construction of the original church, on Nov. 3, 1962, St. John XXIII raised the Marian shrine to the status of basilica.

In 2002, Pope John Paul II celebrated the annual World Day of the Sick at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health. Also known as the “Lourdes of the East,” the Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni is the most frequented holy site in India.

Honoring Our Lady of Good Health at St. Matthew

The Parish began to honor our Lady of Vailankanni in 2007, when Praveen Paulraj, a member of our Pastoral Council at that time, brought this idea to Fr. Hugo Maese. Our Lady of Vailankanni’s Devotional area in the church features a statue that is a replica of the original and was a gift from Vincent and Josephine Rayappa. They purchased it in Chennai, India, at Thomas Rodrigo and Sons, a company dedicated to making high-quality religious statues, and was shipped to Portland in August of 2012. the Carrara marble pedestal on which it sits was made using the stone from the former side altar of the church, which was dedicated to St. Joseph, connecting the history of our church building with the Catholics from the Indian subcontinent. A portion of the cost of making the pedestal was a gift from Anthony Nelson y Betcy Victor.

Prayer to Our Lady of Good Health

The devotion to Our Lady of Good Health encourages the faithful to call upon the Blessed Mother for her protection and relief. As we celebrate the Nativity of Mary, let’s ask for her intercession for those who are ill:

O, Mary! Our Mother of Health and Our Heavenly Queen, seated on your throne of mercy and compassion in your Holy Shrine at Vailankanni, we praise and honor you for being our refuge and relief. Numerous are the sick who, through you, have recovered health. Relying on your power and goodness, we fly to you and implore you to heal our infirmities and obtain perfect body and soul health so that we may better serve you and your Divine Son. You have always been the help and consolation of the sick. You obtain health for them when it is conducive to their salvation. You assist them at the time of their death. Help them O Most amiable Mother and obtain for us cure from all our sufferings, or patience to endure them in the spirit of resignation agreeable to God’s Holy Will, so that all our trials and sufferings may help to purify our souls and help us to detach ourselves from earthly ties. Amen.