Our Lady of Expectation

Our Lady of Expectation

Address:

Our Lady of Expectation Church
Pazhaiyakayal
Tuticorin Dt
Pin : 628 152.
Ph.No : 04630-275232.

Brief History:

Pazhaiyakayal which had been an important port ( Port of Kayal ) of the Pandiya kings, was with Punnaikayal parish until 1921. Having been first among the 16 substations of Punnaikayal, became an independent parish on the 21 st of September 1920 with Fr. Gaspar Roche as its first parish priest. St. Francis Xavier while working in the pearl fishery coast, built a thatched church and preached good news in 1542. History has it that Xavier prayed over a woman in labor for three days until she gave birth to a son and hence the church was dedicated to Our Lady of Expectation. A stone tablet depicts that a grotto named “Xaveri Navastan” was constructed in memory of the above mentioned miracle, and blessed by the first Bishop of Tuticorin on the 3 rd of December 1938 . In his letter dated 23 May 1543 , St. Francis Xavier mentions that Paravas of Pazhaiyakayal were converted to Catholicism. This village came under the governance of Tiruchirapolly diocese from the diocese of Goa . In the place where a native of this village killed one Fr. Ambrose with a club, Fr. Pouget built a chapel dedicated to St. Sebastian. All these information can found in a tablet in the chapel within the Bishop’s house of Thoothukudi diocese. Due to earnest efforts of the Jesuits “Jesu Kurusadi” was built in the forest about 3 kilometers east of the village, which is known now as “Jesu Kovil”. First Friday of every month devotees great number come to this pilgrim center. It is noteworthy that villages belonging to the present day parishes such as Gnanapragasiarpatnam, Pudukottai, Eral and Saveriarpuram had been for several years under the parish of Pazhaiyalayal. Eral itself was a substation of Pazhaiyakayal as well as its present day substations like Thiruvazhuthivilai, Arasankulam, Athisayapuram, and Korkai, when it was made into a parish in 1979. Kulaiyankarisal and Saveriarpuram became substations of the newly created parish of M. Saveriarpuram in 1990.

Parish Priests:

Fr. Xavier Soosaimarian 1998

Patron Saint : Our Lady of Expectation
Feast of the : December 18

Substations:

Mukkani
Church constructed in: 1917
St. Antony Church

Kuruvithurai
Church constructed in: 1996
Our Lady of Refugees Church

Maramangalam
Church constructed in: 1949
St. Michael the Archangel Church

Ambrose Nagar
Church constructed in: 1984
St. Michael the Archangel Church