National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom

Malayalam: വല്ലാര്‍പാടം പള്ളി, Portuguese: Basilica de Nossa Senhora do Resgate

A minor basilica and a major Christian pilgrimage centre. The picture of the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus, installed at the top of the main altar of the Vallarpadam Church, was brought by Portuguese merchants under the leadership of Vasco da Gama in 1524. In 1676 the old church, founded by the Portuguese missionaries, was destroyed by a heavy flood, and the picture was found floating in the backwaters. Nobody except Paliyath Raman Valiyachan, the prime minister of Maharaja of Cochin, could recover it. The present church at Vallarpadamis is built on land donated by him.

Address

Vallarpadam

Website

vallarpadathamma.org (opens in a new tab)