Our Lady of Good Health Church, Pattumala, Catholic pilgrim church in Pattumala, Kerala, India
Our Lady of Good Health Church in Pattumala is a Catholic church built from granite, set on a forested hill among the tea plantations of the Western Ghats. It has a large central dome, wide windows, and rock-carved sculptures near the entrance depicting scenes from the Bible.
The church was completed in the late 1990s, combining traditional Catholic architectural forms with modern construction techniques. It was built through the efforts of the local Catholic community and gradually became a place of pilgrimage for people from across the region.
The church draws pilgrims from across Kerala, especially during major feast days when large groups make their way up the hill together. Along the path leading to the entrance, there are stations representing the Way of the Cross, which many visitors walk through in prayer.
The church stands in Idukki district, on the Kottayam–Kumily road within Peermade panchayat, 8 km from Peermade and 24 km from Thekkady, in the middle of tea plantations. The old church is still kept beside the present one. The main feast is celebrated on 8 September, the Nativity of Mary.
The church is also called the "Kochu Velankanni Church" and was declared a pilgrim centre by Pope John Paul II. It is believed to have been the site of two Marian apparitions, and many miracles have been attributed to it.
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