St. Mary's Basilica, Mulagumoodu

Church in Tamil Nadu, India

8°15′49″N 77°17′10″E / 8.2634811°N 77.2861904°E / 8.2634811; 77.2861904LocationMulagumudu, Tamil NaduCountryIndiaDenominationCatholicWebsitestmaryschurchmmu.orgHistoryStatusBasilicaArchitectureFunctional statusActiveAdministrationDioceseKuzhithurai

St. Mary's Basilica is a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Nativity in Mulagumoodu, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the seventh basilica in the state of Tamil Nadu and the first in Kanyakumari district. The celebrations from 6 to 15 September every year are very popular.^[1] The church has a bell from France and a 300-year-old statue of Mary from Belgium.^[2]^[3]

History

There are records of a church and Catholic community existing in Mulagumoodu in 1847. In the year 1862, a priest, Fr. Victor bought 40 acres (16 ha) of land for the Mulagumoodu parish and started development activities in the area. He built churches, schools, orphanages for boys and girls.^[4] The church celebrated its 150th jubilee in 2014.^[2] The Vatican intimated the raising of the church to the status of a minor basilica on 7 June 2020.^[5] The formal elevation ceremony which was to be held on 20 April 2021 was postponed due to restrictions related to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The ceremony was finally held on 6 September 2021 with the participation of several prelates.^[6]^[7] The parish is associated with the life of Devasahayam Pillai, who was a native of the region.^[8]

References

^ "முளகுமூடு தூய மரியன்னை ஆலய திருவிழா 6-ந்தேதி தொடங்குகிறது || annai mariya church festival on 6th". Maalaimalar. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
^ ^a ^b "177 ஆண்டுகள் பழமையான முளகுமூடு தூய மரியன்னை ஆலயம் || st mary's church mulagumoodu". Maalaimalar. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
^ "Church of Our Lady of Nativity, Mulagumoodu". Tamil Nadu Holy Places and Tourism. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
^ Andreas a Santa Maria, OCD (1929). Pater Victor – Een apostel van Zuid-Italië.
^ "முளகுமூடு தூய மரியன்னை திருத்தல பேராலய திருவிழா: முன்னாள் ஆயர் பீட்டர் ரெமிஜியுஸ் பங்கேற்பு || st mary's church mulagumoodu" (in Tamil). Maalaimalar. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^ "முளகுமூடு தூய மரியன்னை ஆலயம் பசிலிக்காவாக அறிவிப்பு விழா இன்று நடக்கிறது || st mary's church mulagumoodu". Maalaimalar. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
^ "முளகுமூடு தூய மரியன்னை பசிலிக்கா அறிவிப்பு விழா || st mary's church mulagumoodu". Maalaimalar. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
^ "History". stmaryschurchmmu.org. Retrieved 25 April 2021.