About Our Lady Of Snows Basilica

Brief History:

Brief Historical Sketches of the SHRINE BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF SNOWS THOOTHUKUDI.
In 1532 - 1537 The Mass Conversion of the Paravars of Pearl Fishery Coast to Christianity. 1538 The first Parish St. Peter's church was constructed with Fr. Peter Gonsalvez as the first Parish Priest.

  • 1542 October 1 Arrival of St. Francis Xavier the Jesuit missionary.
  • 1548 St. Paul's Chapel was constructed for Jesuit Missionary work.
  • 1555 June 9 Arrival of the Miraculous statue of our Mother Mary.
  • 1582 August 5 St. Paul's chapel was renovated to a concrete structure.
  • 1582 The Miraculous statue of our Mother Mary, was installed in the church.
  • 1582 August 5 St. Paul's chapel was renovated to a concrete structure.
  • 1610 Return of the Miraculous Statue of our Mother Mary to Thoothukudi after a period of Exile.
  • 1707 April 4 The Town of Thoothukudi and the surrounding villages were saved miraculously by our Mother Mary from the heavy thunder bolt.
  • 1713 A new church was consecrated to our Lady of Snows (as it was called later) by Fr. Vigilius Mansi S.J.
  • 1806 February 2 The first Golden Car procession.
  • 1895 Under the control of Mylapore diocese.
  • 1930 Under Thoothukudi diocese which was formed earlier in 1923.
  • 1960 August 5 The church of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi gets accredited to Mary Major Basilica by Pope John XXIII due to the efforts of Rt. Rev.Bishop Thomas Fernando & Parish Priest, Rev.Fr.S.M. Dalmaida.
  • 1982 July 30 The Shrine of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi, was raised to the Status of Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II due to the efforts of Rt. Rev. Bishop Amalanathar and Parish Priest Rev.Fr.L.Miranda.
  • 2000 August 5 13th Golden Car Procession of Our Lady of Snows marking the great Jubilee year of CHRISTHU JEYANTHI
  • 2007 August 5 14th Golden Car Procession of Our Lady of Snows marking the 425th Anniversary of festival of Our Lady of Snows & 25th anniversary of the Basilica.
  • 2007 December 25 Release of Indian Postal Stamp with our Basilica as the face image.
  • 2013 August 5 15th Golden Car Procession of Our Lady of Snows on the 300th Anniversary of the consecration of the church of Our Lady of Snows.
  • 2015 January 13 Rev. Fr. Antony Soosainathar CR, the Second Parish Priest of the Shrine Basilica (1932-1938, was declared Servant of God)
  • 2015 December 2 St. Xavier's Chapel, within the Basilica campus, was renovated
  • 2017 July 15 The presbytery was re-built along with Parish Office and Depot.

Welcome to Our Lady of Snows Basilica