Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine
Location:
Villiyanur Matha Church (Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine) is a famous Mary Shrine located in Villiyanur, around 10 km from the White Town, Pondicherry. From Pondicherry City, you head down to Villiyanur towards Villupuram highway. It would be best to take a left turn from the Villupuram Pondicherry highway to the road to the famous “Sri Kokilambigai Vudanurai Sri Thirukameswarar Temple”. Within a few hundred metres of the temple, you will reach the Villiyanur Matha Church.
Construction of the Church:
The Society of Foreign Missions of Paris decided to build this Church in 1867. In 1867, Rev. Fr. Gou (procurator of the Puducherry mission) bought the land on the outskirts of Villiyanur to build the chapel. He had a long negotiation with the Hindu Temple authorities to make the Church at Kanuvapet.
Our Lady of Lourdes took ten years to complete, and St.Bernadette was appointed Parish Priest of the Church. It is only the second Church in the world to be named after Our Lady of Lourdes other than Lourdes Church, located in France. History tells us that the box containing the six-foot-tall statue was dropped dramatically on the way to the cathedral, but the statue remains intact. During the late nineteenth century, the statue was believed to be associated with many miracles.
Pond at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine:
There is a pond in front of the Church. It is claimed to be used as a water source for irrigation. Water used to come from the Ousteri Lake, one of the primary water sources of Pondicherry. Our Lady of Lourdes is the only Church in Asia with a sacred pond in front of the Church.
Annual Festival:
The annual feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine happens after Easter Sunday. It will have nine days of novena, and the flag hoisting occurs on the sixth day.
New Church:
Due to growing numbers of pilgrims and visitors, a new church was proposed, and Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Antony Anandarayar approved it. Rev. Fr. A. Arulanandam officially commenced the construction work of the Church on 10th Sep 2011, and the construction was completed in 2015.
Mass Timings:
Weekdays:
6.00 am
Saturdays:
6.00 am
11.30 am
06.00 pm
Sundays:
6.30 am
5.30 pm
First Saturdays:
6.00 am
7.30 am – Car Possession
11.30 am
6.00 pm
7.30 pm – Car Possession
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