വിചിത്രവും അത്ഭുതങ്ങളും നിറഞ്ഞ നേർച്ചകളും കാഴ്ചകളും ചരിത്രവും ഉറങ്ങുന്ന ഒരിടം Vallarpadam Church

Hi dears,

വിചിത്രവും അത്ഭുതങ്ങളും നിറഞ്ഞ നേർച്ചകളും കാഴ്ചകളും ചരിത്രവും ഉറങ്ങുന്ന ഒരിടം. Vallarpadom Church
The Vallarpadam Church or the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom is an ancient church and a very famous centre of pilgrimage in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. It's one of the oldest European Churches in India which was built by the Portuguese Missionaries in the year 1524. The church is dedicated to the Holy Mary of Vallarpadam which is commonly referred as 'Vallarapadath Amma'. Though, it ruined due to heavy flood in the year 1676 but it was reconstructed in the year 1676. Then in the year 1888, it was declared as a special church by Pope Leo XIII and later the Union Government stated it as a major pilgrim centre. The history says that Vallarpadath Amma has saved her devotees life several times from violent storms.
In 1524, Portuguese merchants headed by Vasco da Gama enthroned this miraculous picture of Our lady of Ransom at the shrine. The church was dedicated to the Holy Spirit, which was the first of its kind in Asia. The beautiful church was however destroyed by a heavy flood in 1676 and the picture of Our Lady was floating in the river. Many tried to recover the picture, but vain.

At this time Paliyath Raman Valiyachan (Komi Achan), the Prime Minister of the Maharaja of Cochin was on his way to Chendamangalam in a boat. He found the holy picture of Our Lady Of Ransom afloat in the waters. He tried it and it was easily recovered by him. His faith in Our Lady Of Ransom was so deep that he donated his land in island to build a new church for VALLARPADATHAMMA. The magnificent shrine as you see it now was built on this land. The sanctuary lamp he donated has been burning all the while right from 1676. In fact the oil for the lamp was provided by the palace till 1947. Circumstantial constraints wear out certain traditions. The Paliyath family, however, visited the shrine and rekindled the sanctuary lamp on September 23, 1994. This event was highlighted in the book “Vallarpadam Church and the Paliyam family”. The 300 year old sanctuary lamp burns even today.

In 1752 with the grate miracle of saving meenakshiyamma and her child from the great depths, Vallapadom became a famous pilgrim center. In 1888 taking into consideration to spiritual importance His Holiness Pope Leo XIII declared the main Altar to the status of ALTARE PRIVILEGIATUM in perpetuum concessuma.

In 1951 The Govt. of India declared the Church as a major pilgrim centre of country. In the Year 2002 The Government of Kerala declared the church as important tourist center in kerala.

In 2004 Sept. 12 as the first step towards making shrine a minor Basilica with the endorsement of C B C I standing committee the shrine was declared as a NATIONAL SHRINE.
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