Basilica of Our Lady of Snows

Basilica of our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage facilities in India devoted to the Our Lady of Snows, a name given to St. Mary. The Shrine call refers to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The records of Shrine Basilica is carefully connected with the history of the conversion of the Paravars, the indigenous people of the Pearl Fishery Coast. In truth, Our Lady of Snows, turned into fondly called in Portuguese Nossa Senhora das Neves this means that Our Lady of Snows.

She has been given the unique name of Yelu Kadalthurai, Yega Adikala Thai in Tamil which means the Mother of Refuge for the seven foremost coastal villages, viz Vembar, Vaippar, Thoothukudi, Punnaikayal, Virapandianpatinam, Thiruchendur and Manapad. Once the paravars of Pearl Fishery Coast had a sharp dispute with the Muslims of this region concerning the proper of Pearl Fishing. The Pattankattimar requested the Portuguese to rescue them from the cruelties of the Muslims and the Portuguese agreed on condition of converting to christiantity and the Portuguese routed the Muslims.