Vailankanni Church, or Velankanni Church, is a very renowned chuch situated 150 miles south of
Chennai and 5 miles south of
Nagapattinam in
Tamil Nadu. It is said that the church was built in the 17th century by some Portuguese sailors for expressing their gratitude to Mother Vailankanni, ‘The Lady of Health’, for their safe arrival on the shore. There are numerous other legends and beliefs attached to the deity.
Though the church belongs to the Roman Catholic faith, it draws devotees from all faiths because of its reputation to get wishes fulfilled. The Church is a huge white structure luminous at night.
