Gunadala Matha Shrine

Gunadala Matha Shrine
Our Lady of Lourdes, Mary Matha Church
Mary Matha Church at the base of the hill (2013)
Map
16°31′15″N 80°39′34″E / 16.52074°N 80.65956°E / 16.52074; 80.65956
LocationGunadala, Vijayawada
CountryIndia
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitehttps://gunadalamathaofficial.com/
History
StatusChurch
Founded1924[1]
Founder(s)Rf. Arlati (Rector of St. Joseph's Orphanage, Gunadala)
Consecrated1971
EventsGunadala Matha Festival, Feast for Our Lady of Lourdes
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Vijayawada
Clergy
Bishop(s)Thelegathoti Joseph Raja Rao[2]
RectorWilliam 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]

  1. ^ Srinivas, Rajulapudi (8 September 2023). "Gunadala Mary Matha Shrine's centenary celebrations to be a six-month long affair". The Hindu.
  2. ^ "Gunadala Mary Matha fete off on a grand note in Vijayawada".
  3. ^ "St. Mary's Church". aptdc.gov.in. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Gunadala Mary Matha church". The Hans India. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Thousands have darshan of Gunadala Mary Matha". thehindu.com. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Gunadala Mary Matha fete off on a grand note in Vijayawada". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 September 2023.