Vailankanni festival
Vailankanni festival is celebrated every year from August 29 to September 8.
September 8 is considered auspicious because it was the day the Portuguese sailors first landed in these parts and they built the first actual church.
On August 29 a huge procession of devotees make their way to the church. And there is an impressive flag hoisting ceremony that indicates the beginning of the festival. This ceremony is attended by the district collector and other VIPs. By the way, festivals at all Hindu temples also start with a flag being hoisted.
At 8 pm there is a chariot procession, with three chariots. The Mother, St Michael and St Joseph. Actually this chariot procession takes place on every day of the festival. On the penultimate day six chariots join the procession and on the last day seven.
Mass is usually conducted in Tamil, Malayalam and English, from 6 am in the morning right till 6.30 pm in the evening (rosary and novena prayers). During the festival days it is also conducted in English, Konkani, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu.
On September 7 and 8, the evening prayers are conducted by the Bishops of Thanjavur.
Cultural programmes are also conducted for the pilgrims.
The festival ends with the lowering of the flag on the September 8 at 6 pm.
Other events:
- Throughout the year there is a chariot procession every Saturday. The chariot procession is also conducted on special occasions such as Independence Day. The procession involves a candle-lit parade, with hymns.
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On the first Friday of every month there is a procession around the shrine at 6.45 pm. This is followed by benediction from the front balcony of the extension of the basilica.
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On the first Saturday of the month, after the chariot procession, the blessed sacrament is displayed for worship. A layman, from Madras, comes specially to grace this occasion. People who are sick attend this ceremony in large numbers. The layman divides the crowd into groups according to their illness. People with eye problems are put into one group, handicapped people in another and so on . Each group is separately blessed with the holy sacrament. And then there is a special mass from 9 pm to midnight.
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