Permanent Pictorial Cancellation inaugural day covers

Description: The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, situated in the coastal town of Velankanni, is one of the most revered Christian pilgrimage centres in India. Dedicated to the Mary "Madha" under the title “Our Lady of Good Health” (Arokiya Matha), the shrine is visited by millions of devotees from across religions, symbolising faith, healing, and unity. The history of the shrine is rooted in three significant apparitions. The first, believed to have occurred around 1570, tells of a shepherd boy delivering milk who encountered a beautiful lady carrying a child. She requested milk for her baby, and after the boy complied, he later discovered that his pot remained miraculously full. 

This event led to the construction of a small shrine at the site, now called Matha Kulam, meaning “Mother’s Well.” The second apparition took place in 1597, when a crippled boy selling buttermilk met the same lady and child. After offering buttermilk, he was miraculously cured of his disability. The lady then instructed him to ask a local man to build a church in her honour. Following this, a small thatched chapel was erected. The third event is associated with Portuguese sailors in the late 17th century. Caught in a violent storm in the Bay of Bengal, they prayed to the Virgin Mary and were miraculously saved. In gratitude, they rebuilt and expanded the church on 8 September, the feast of the Nativity of Mary. From its humble beginnings, the shrine became a parish church in 1771 and eventually grew into a grand basilica. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of devotion, attracting pilgrims seeking healing, hope, and spiritual comfort.