St. Aloysius Church,
Kosavapatti,
Dindigul,
Tamilnadu,
INDIA.
Archive for: July 15th, 2012
St. Aloysius Church, Kosavapatty, Dindigul
Lourdu Annai Shrine, Salem
History of “Malai kovil”
In 1868 a small prayer hall was constructed on top of the hill in Agraharam by Rev Fr .Brikkot with the support of the Christian families. Holy mass and the procession were conducted in that prayer hall only twice a year. One among the 3 statues of Lourdu Annai that came to Tamil Nadu from France is now at Agraharam Malai Kovil. With the combined efforts and the hard work of the parish priests and the youths of the “Catholic Seva Sangam’ Mr. R Arocikasamy, Mr. C Raja Vaathiyar @ Savarimuthu, Mr. Siluvaimuthu, Mr. Chellakannu @ Anthony, Malai Kovil became a very beautiful place for worship. The youths cleared the shrubs around the Malai Kovil and made a pathway for the procession. Mother Mary’s procession is celebrated every year on 11th of Feb. 1958 was celebrated across the world as the jubilee of Mother Mary’s appearance in France. As part of the celebration Most Rev Bishop V.S Selvanathar selected Malai Kovil as the shrine of Salem Diocese. Under the supervision of Rev Fr. M Vargeese and the suggestion of Mr Santhappa the Grotto in the western side of the Malai Kovil was constructed. When Rev Fr. G Mooviale was the parish priest, Mr G.D Appavu from Pondicherry donated the Way of Cross Stations to Malai Kovil on 31.5.1968. From then, at 5.30 PM every Lent Friday Way of Cross and Holy Mass is offered in the Malai Kovil.
During the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Salem Diocese, Most Rev Bp Michael Duraisamy adorned Mother Mary with a golden crown. During the period of Rev Fr. S Arockiasamy, 2 Silver Jubilee arch gates were built: one in the Salem-Attur road and the other in Agraharam. Malai Kovil was named Lourdu Nagar. Western side of the Malai Kovil was extended during the period of Rev Fr. Xavier (1990-1993). 15th Station of the Way of Cross was constructed on the hill top during the period of Rev Fr.M Jegaraj(1993-1995). Also an alter depicting the last supper was constructed during his period. With the help of Rev Fr. K.S Lawrence from the Chennai Arch diocese pilgrim’s hall was opened on 8.12.1997. Later concrete road was laid around the Grotto. The parish saw many improvements after Rev Fr. Peter Francis was appointed the parish priest on 2001. In 2004, steps on the right and left side of the Grotto were constructed. To support the worshipers while climbing the steps a lengthy steel rail was fixed in the year 2005. Sun Shades were raised on both sides of the Grotto. Marriage hall and community hall constructed to serve the people needs are remarkable.
Agraharam Parish -“Holy Spirit Church”
History says that many countries were found in 18th century. Agraharam village was also formed in this 18th Century by Mr. Kaaliyapa Udayar. In 1702, Kaaliyapa Udayar, along with his family, servants and a Brahmin shifted from his village Veeranam to Agraharam. He built a temple for the goddess he took with him. His hardwork turned the forest in to a land that is suitable for cultivation. Attracted by this cultivation land few of his relatives and others from his native shifted to Agraharam. Kaaliyapa Udayar who was happily settled in Agraharam had a longing for a son to be his successor. He visited Uthariya Matha church in kakaveri where many miracles are witnessed by the believers. He was also blessed with a baby boy. As thanksgiving he renewed the roofing of the Kakaveri church. Also he and his family joined the Christian Faith. He was named Periyathambi after the PeriyaNayaki Matha.
This conversion earned him hatred from few of his relatives. But few others followed the footsteps of Periyathambi Udayar and joined the Christian Faith. In 1794, Rev Fr. Appothuva who was serving the Agraharam community paved way for the conversion of the Udayar from other Hindu religion. In 1820, a Christian lady , by her marriage with a man from different religion, brought her entire In Laws to her faith. Three more families from her husband’s village Athipaakam shifted to Agraharam. This way the Agraharam parish stared growing.
Priests from Paris visited Agraharam very often to preach the Word of God. But there was not a proper church for the priests to gather the people for prayer. In 1842, Rev Fr. Brikkot, purchased a land and laid the foundation for building a church, which was opposed by the people of other religion. After many hardships a church with Lady of Health as its patron was built and was blessed by Most Rev Bishop Poonan on 12.10.1846. Later, people belonging to the other religion shifted to the northern part of the village due to a fire accident. In 1868, in order to preach the Good News to those people, Rev Fr. Brikkot constructed a prayer hall on top of the hill in the situated in the northern part of the village. Rev Fr. Brikkot served the spiritual needs of the Agraharam people from 1868 to 1880. After him, older priests stayed in Agraharam to serve the people till 1930. Agraharam was still under the supervision of the Sevaipettai priests. Later Agraharam was made the sub parish of Sooramangalam. In 1939, to meet the increasing population, foundation for the present parish church was laid by Rev Fr. Joseph Baarel. On 31.8.1945 Agraharam was made a separate parish and Rev Fr. Matthew Thekadam was appointed as parish priest. In 1949 Fr Matthew Thekadam consecrated the church. Currently there are 2190 Christians living in the Agraharam parish.
Mass Schedule
First Saturday : 05.30 p.m. Car Procession of Mother Mary around the MalaiKovil road and Blessing of the Sick with the Blessed Sacrament, Benediction and Mass in Tamil.
All Saturdays : 07.00 a.m. Mass in Tamil.
Way of Cross at 5.30 p.m. on every Lent Fridays followed by the Holy Mass.
How to Reach ?
Lourdu Annai Shrine is located at Agraharam, A.N Mangalam village in Salem district. Salem is located in the middle of India’s southernmost state Tamil Nadu. It is around 390 KM from Tamilnadu state capital “Chennai” and 140 KM from “Coimbatore”.
By Bus:
From Salem old Bus stand to Karippatti -[Route # 74,44,10]
From Salem old Bus stand to A.N Mangalam -[Route # 37]
Salem New Bus stand to Karippatti
By Train:
Express: Chennai Egmore – Salem JN (Via Virudhachalam) 353 KM
Express: Chennai Central – Salem JN (Via Jolarpettai) 390 KM
Passenger: Virudhachalam JN – Salem JN (Via Vallapadi) 139 KM
Passenger: Salem JN – Virudhachalam JN(Via Vallapadi) 139 KM
Contact Us
The Parish Priest,
Holy Spirit Church,
Agraharam, A.N. Mangalam (P.O.),
Karippatti Via, Salem – 636 106.
PH: 0427 – 2482526
salemdiocese@gmail.com
Lourdu Annai Shrine,
Lourdu Nagar, Malaikovil,
Agraharam, A.N. Mangalam, (P.O.)
Karippatti Via, Salem – 636 106.
For more information please visit: http://lourduannai-salem.org/
St. Antony’s Shrine, Marambody, Dindigul
St. Anthony’s shrine is the one of the shrines which is very famous in India. St. Antony’s shrine is situated at Marambady. Marambady is a big village, which has its patron St.Anthony the Hermit. It is three hundred years old shrine. Every year 16,17 & 18th of January the feast day of St. Anthony the Hermit is celebrated grandly. About 2 lakhs people pay a visit only on those three days. It is the biggest shrine dedicated to St. Antony in India and abroad as well. People from other countries also visit this shirne and they experience miracles.
The uniqueness of the famous shirne is, people of other religions also come regularly. Even people belonging to other denominations also visit the shirne for intercession. Every one who belives in the intercession of St. Anthony the Hermit they are marvelously healed and blessed by the Holy Trinity.
St.Anthony the Hermit:
Anthony was born at Coma, near Heracleopolis Magna in Fayum, about the middle of the third century AD. He was the son of well-to-do parents. He had the desire to imitate the life of the Apostles and the early Christians, and one day, on hearing in the church the Gospel words, “If thou will be perfect, go and sell all thou hast” , he received them as spoken to himself, disposed of all his property and goods and devoted himself exclusively religious exercises. He began his career by practicing the ascetical life. He used to visit the various ascetics, study their lives, and try to learn from each of them the virtue in which he seemed to excel. Then he took up his abode in one of the tombs, near his native village, and there it was that the Life records those strange conflicts with demons in the shape of wild beats, who inflicted blows upon him, and sometimes left him nearly dead. After fifteen years of this life, at the age of thirty-five, Anthony determined to withdraw from the habitations of men and retire in absolute solitude. He crossed the Nile, and on a mountain near the east bank, then called Pispir, now Derel Memum, he found an old fort into which he shut himself, and lived there for twenty years without seeing the face of man, food being thrown to him over the wall. He was at times visited by pilgrims, whom he refused to see; but gradually a number of disciples increased and established themselves in caves and in huts around the mountain, Thus a colony of ascetics was formed. Who begged Anthony to come forth and be their guide in the spiritual life. At length, about the year 305, he yielded to their demand an emerged from his retreat, and, to the surprise of all, he had appeared to be as when had gone in, not emaciated, but vigorous in body and mind.
For five or six years he devoted himself to the instruction and organization of the great body of monks that had grown up around him; but when he once again withdrew into the inner desert that lay between the Nile and the Red sea. Here he spent the last forth-five years of his life in a seclusion. He came forth from the fort at Pispir, to strengthen the Christians martyrs in the persecution of 311 and once at the close of his life(c.350), to preach against the Arians. The history says that he died at the age of a hundred and five. At his own request his grave was kept secret by the two disciples who buried him, lest his body should become an object of reverence.
This famous saint has been at Marambady for 300 years. the statue of St. Anthony the Hermit was brought by merchants before some three hundred years. Now St. Anthony is doing miracles by his intercession.
Miracles even today.. possible ? !..
Novena is conducted every Tuesday. Number of Miracles are taking place. The incurable diseases are cured. The dumb speak. The blind see. The stolen things are recovered through his intercession. The possessed are healed as soon as, they see the statue of St.Antony. People who have been in severe economic problem, do witness how they have been helped through the intercession of the Saint.
Parish
It is one of the ancient parishes. People are religious minded and prayerful. All of them are very much fond of their patron. This village has 100% catholic population. 105 persons have responded to the call of the God almighty. There are 47 priests 58 nuns and about 32 seminarians and 20 aspirants for women congregation. This shirne is really proud to have a Bishop. His name is Most Rev.P. Antony and we cannot forget one of our former parish priests had become the Bishop of the diocese of Kottor. He was known as Bishop Aggni Samy .
Mass Time :
Every day at 5.00 A.M
Special Novena on Tuesday 11.A.M & 7.30 P.M
Sunday Mass
First Mass 4.45.A.M
Second Mass 8.30.A.M
Pious Associations :
1. Youth Associations.
2. Vincent de-Paul Associations.
3. Margin groups.
4. People Sacred Heard
5. BCC’s
School :
1. St.Aloycious Primary School.
2. St.Antony’s Primary School.
3. Little flower Primary School.
Contact Us
St. Antony’s Shrine,
Parish Priest – Marambady Post,
Vedasandur TK Thadicombu Via,
Dindigul Dt – 624709.
Tamilnadu, India.
Seashore St. Anthony’s Shrine, Palavakkam, Chennai
The Seashore Anthony’s Shrine, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, is an embodiment of divinity and spiritual splendour. Nestled between the waters of the Bay of Bengal and the busy East Coast Road at MGR Road in Palavakkam, this Shrine, known for its many miracles, attracts devouts from various parts of Tamil Nadu and other States. The church’s elevation to the status of Shrine within a short span of nine years is a miracle in itself.
In 2001, Palavakkam was announced as a new Parish, comprising Srinivasapuram, Kottivakkam, Palavakkam and Chinna Neelankarai. The newly created Parish comprised of nearly 300 families, mainly from the Parish of St. Anne and Joachim’s at Vettuvankeni and a few families from Annai Velankanni Church, Besant Nagar. In 2002, the Archdiocese was bifurcated and the new Diocese of Chingleput was created. Rev. Dr. A. Neethinathan assumed office as the first Bishop of Chingleput Diocese. Palavakkam came under the newly carved out Diocese. Being the first Tuesday of the month, 2nd April 2002, was a red letter day, for it was the day that was designated to consecrate this new Church. During the solemn liturgical service, Rt. Rev. Anthony Devotta, Bishop of Trichy, Rt. Rev. Dr. Amalanathan, Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Tuticorin, jointly consecrated the Church and sanctified the sacrificial altar with a relic of St. Timothy embedded in the centre.
Mass Timings:
Sunday:
06.00 a.m – Tamil
07.15 a.m – Tamil
07.15 a.m – Tamil
09.30 a.m – English
11.00 a.m – Tamil
06.00 p.m – Tamil
Week Days:
06.30 a.m – Tamil
06.30 p.m – Tamil
1st Tuesday:
06.00 a.m – Tamil
07.15 a.m – English
08.30 a.m – Tamil
11.00 a.m – Tamil
01.00 p.m – Tamil
03.00 p.m – Tamil
04.00 p.m – Malayalam
06.15 p.m – Tamil
Tuesday:
06.00 a.m – Tamil
11.00 a.m – Tamil
03.00 p.m – Tamil
06.15 p.m – Tamil
1st Friday:
02.00 p.m – Adoration, Novena for Mass in Tamil
Other Fridays:
03.00 p.m – Novena for Mass in Tamil
Saturdays:
06.30 p.m – Novena for Mass in Tamil
Contact:
Seashore St. Anthony’s Shrine,
The Diocese of Chingleput
38, M.G.R. Road, Palavakkam,
Chennai – 600 041,
INDIA. Tel : +91 (44) 2449 3684
Fax : +91 94431 47130
Bus root from Thiuvanmiyur:
Bus Number: PP19, PP49, PP19x, 588, 589, M19, C51, M19H
For more information please visit: www.seashorestanthony.org
