Question

Vailankanni (Velankanni) is a pilgrim centre located in the ______ district of Tamil Nadu.
1. Salem
2. Nagapattinam
3. Madurai
4. Theni

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Nagapattinam

The Correct Answer is Nagapattinam.

 

• Velankanni has one of the country's biggest Catholic pilgrimage centres located in Nagapattinam, Tamilnadu.
• The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is popularly known as the "Lourdes of the East".
• Its origins can be traced back to the 16th century.
• The church's founding is attributed to three miracles: the apparition of Mary and Jesus to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the survival of Portuguese sailors assaulted by a violent sea storm.
• It is built in the Gothic style, was modified by Portuguese and then further expanded later on due to the influx of pilgrims.
• The church building was raised to the status of basilica in 1962 by Pope John XXIII.