Our Lady of Visitation

Our Lady of Visitation

Address:

Our Lady of Visitation Church
Perumanal
Tuticorin Dt
Pin : 627 106.
Ph.No : 04637-257348.

Brief History:

St. Xavier came to Perumanal as early as 1542 and he himself appointed Mr. Antonio Anriquez as the catechist. While all the coastal parishes have Apostels as their patron saints, the church in Perumanal is dedicated to Our Lady of Visitation and Elizabeth. The reason is this: Paravas had devotion to the virgin Bhagavathi and the married deity Meenakshi. St. Xavier built the church in 1548 with the intention of substituting virgin Bhagavathi with Virgin Mary and Meenakshi with St. Elizabeth. Hence, the church was known as Mary Amman kovil.

Panchal is a substation of Perumanal. It is an ancient pilgrim center with a church dedicated to St. Ignatius. Due to the “Duel governance” established in 1936 at the Pearl Fishery Coast, the church in Perumanal was taken over by the Goan priests. So, the French priests who had been serving there began to dwell in Panchal as its people supported the French Mission. In the long run however, people of Panchal began to settle down in places such as Idindakarai, Koothenkuzhy and Manapad, leaving only 5 families there.

Parish Priests:

Fr. Kirupakaran 1997

Patroness : Our Lady of Visitation
Feast of : May 31

Substations:

Koodankulam
St. Anne Church

Panchal
Church constructed in: 1717
St. Ignatius Church