Vailankanni was a part of the parish of Nagapattinam, but as pilgrims began to pour into Vailankanni, it was raised to the status of an independent parish in 1771, and Fr. Antonio de Rozario the last parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Nagapattinam, was appointed the first Parish priest of Vailankanni. Nagapattinam had always been under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of the Diocese of Mylapore. During that period the Diocese of Mylapore was administered under the Portuguese ‘Padroado’ (patronage). Under the Padroado system, the king of Portugal in Europe met all the expenses incurred by the Diocese of Mylapore, which remained under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiffs.
VELANKANNI CHURCH
Located on the sandy shores of Bay of Bengal, Velankanni Church is considered as one of the holiest Christian pilgrimage destinations in India n and is situated on the Coromandel Coast, 350 km south of Chennai and 12 km south of Nagapattinam. It is said that Virgin Mary appeared here along with Baby Jesus around the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century, after which Velankanni became a revered site for the Christian community. Declared as the holy city by the Pope, it draws devotees in large number from all over the world.
VELANKANNI BEACH
The gently swaying palm trees, salty sea breeze and lazy blue skies of the Vellankanni beach of Tamil Nadu is a buzz-filled holiday right into the bustling crowds from places far and wide. Lying on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, this is one of the most popular destinations in the region. The Church of Our Lady of Health is also located nearby, which makes it all the more worth visiting. The golden sands of Vellankani make it an ideal holiday destination.