Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes, Poondi

Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes, also known as Poondi Madha Basilica, is a Catholic pilgrimage centre located in Tamil Nadu, South India. It is located in Alamelupuram-Poondi, a small village located adjacent to Thirukattupalli in Thiruvaiyaru taluk of Thanjavur district. The shrine was consecrated as a Minor Basilica in 1999 by Pope John Paul II.

WWW poondimadhabasilica.org

History

Cardinal Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy declared the Shrine of Our Lady of Poondi as a permanent pilgrimage centre of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. On 3 August 1999, the shrine was declared as Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II.

Shrine

The present structure of the shrine has a mixture of Gothic and French architectural styles. The facade above the portico has a row of statues of the Twelve Apostles, St. Francis Xavier and Fr. Constantine Joseph Beschi. The church has a relic of the True Cross, believed to be the one on which Christ was crucified.