Gunadala Matha Shrine | |
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Our Lady of Lourdes, Mary Matha Church | |
16°31′15″N 80°39′34″E / 16.52074°N 80.65956°E | |
Location | Gunadala, Vijayawada |
Country | India |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Website | https://gunadalamathaofficial.com/ |
History | |
Status | Church |
Founded | 1924[1] |
Founder(s) | Rf. Arlati (Rector of St. Joseph's Orphanage, Gunadala) |
Consecrated | 1971 |
Events | Gunadala Matha Festival, Feast for Our Lady of Lourdes |
Administration | |
Diocese | Diocese of Vijayawada |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Thelegathoti Joseph Raja Rao[2] |
Rector | William Jayaraju |
Vicar(s) | Gabriel Mesapam |
Gunadala Matha Shrine (also: Our Lady of Lourdes or Mary Matha Church),[3] located in the city of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh,[4] is a renowned Catholic pilgrimage site[5] attracting approximately 10 lakh devotees during its annual festival. The site features a church, a grotto, and the stations of the Cross along the hill leading to the 18-foot-high holy cross erected at the hill's summit. It is considered the second biggest worship place of Mary, mother of Jesus after Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni in Tamil Nadu.[6]