Cardinal Tucho Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Destruction of the Faith, praised the Shrine of Our Lady of Health in Vailankanni, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The cardinal wrote a letter dated August 1, approved by Pope Francis, and addressed to Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj of Tanjore.
Tucho claims that the shrine brings "many spiritual fruits".
The shrine dates back to the 16th century when the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to a young shepherd carrying milk to a customer. The woman asked for the milk for a child in her arms and the shepherd agreed. He later realized that the milk was still in his container.
Also, a crippled boy claimed to be cured after an apparition of Our Lady.
Portuguese sailors who were shipwrecked near the coast during a storm, attributed their rescue to the intervention of the Virgin Mary and built a chapel in her honor.
Tucho recalled that John Paul II chose the shrine in in 2002 as the site for the celebration of the World Day of the Sick even …More