26th Jun - OUR MOTHER OF MYLAPORE (CHENNAI)

 The Church of St. Thomas of Mylapore contains Mary’s shrine. The Apostle St. Thomas came to India in 52 AD. The Church was built by St Thomas. According to tradition, 

    there was a huge log that had washed down the river to a place where it blocked the water and caused massive flooding. The king was at a loss to remove the blockage, 

    but having heard that St Thomas was a miracle worker, asked him for his assistance. St. Thomas prayed and then touched the log, which made it so light that the king’s men were 

    suddenly able to easily pull it from the river. The king, in thanksgiving, gave the massive log to St Thomas, who used the wood he obtained from it to construct his Church. 

    Due to his success making converts to the true Faith, he was persecuted and finally martyred in the year 72 AD. St. Thomas is buried at the shrine of Our Mother of Mylapore. 

    The good people knew that they were Christians, and nothing more; but they had Mary as their Mother, and she cleared the way into their hearts for the zealous 

    St. Francis Xavier to sow the seed of Christ’s Gospel. It was at Mary’s shrine that Francis obtained the miraculous favors to raise people from the dead, cure the sick, 

    convert sinners and bring to Christ thousands of souls. Regardless of his journeying, Francis always returned to his “Mother of the Wayside;” at Mylapore. 

    Our Mother of Mylapore was his most beloved Mother and from her he received consolation and strength. The spirit of St. Francis is still at this shrine and Mary continues to 

    bestow upon her children miraculous graces and blessings. The image before which St. Francis used to pray is called Mylai Matha or Our Mother of Mylapore. It is an ancient statue 

    about three feet tall.





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