Elaborate arrangements for the Velankanni Festival

Elaborate arrangements for the Velankanni Festival :

Nagapattinam: Elaborate arrangements are being made for a 11-day annual feast festival of ‘Our Lady of Health’, popularly called as ‘Annai Velankanni Matha’ festival that begins on August 29 with a flag procession and hoisting of the holy flag.

Rev. Fr. P. Xavier, Rector of Velankanni Church said on Saturday that Most Rev. Dr. M. Devadass Ambrose, Bishop of Thanjavur, would hoist the holy flag at the Shrine’s Basilica at Velankanni, located on the shores of Baby of Bengal, about 10 km south of Nagapattinam.

Thousands of pilgrims and devotees from all over the country are expected to attend the first day litany, benediction and holy mass in Tamil.

Holy mass, blessing of the sick with the statue of Our Lady of Health will be conducted at the main shrine. High mass in Tamil, Marathi, English, Konkani, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindu will be conducted in the Basilica from morning till evening and Holy Mass in Tamil at Our Lady’s Tank at 6 a.m. during the festival days.

The festival concludes on September 8 with the celebration of the birthday of the Blessed Mother Shrine Velankanni. The main illuminated chariot procession carrying the statue of the Holy Mother will be taken out on Velankanni Basilica campus on Sept.7.

Meanwhile, the Nagapattinam district administration and the police are making arrangements, including transport, sanitation, protected drinking water supply, to lakhs of pilgrims expected for the festival.