Gunadala Mary Matha Shrine, a popular shrine in South India, is all set to be developed on a par with the Velankanni Church of Tamil Nadu.
A team of priests, under the aegis of Vijayawada Catholic Bishop Telagatoti Joseph Rajarao, will visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City soon.
“As Vijayawada has become the capital of Andhra Pradesh, we are planning to develop the Gunadala shrine. Lakhs of devotees visit the shrine every year to seek blessings of Mother Mary, also known as Arogya Matha,” Reverend Rajarao told The Hindu .
The team will visit the Velankanni Church, St. Peter’s Basilica, Our Lady of Fatima Church, Portugal, and Lourde Church in France, observe the prayer houses, pilgrim rush, facilities being provided there, transportation, accommodation, special prayers offered and the festivals being celebrated at various places across the world.
Team from Vatican
“After the visit to temples in different countries, the Monsignors, Rectors and priests will prepare a plan to develop the Gunadala Shrine on the lines of Velankanni Matha Church. A requisition along with the development plan of the shrine would be forwarded to the Vatican City for approval,” said Gunadala Temple Rector Eleti William Jayaraju on Tuesday.
Later, a team from Vatican City is likely to visit the Gunadala shrine to observe the history of the church, pilgrim rush, facilities available for pilgrims, scope for expansion, road, rail and air connectivity and other aspects, said Father Jayaraju.
“Roman Catholics have 1,600 churches under the Krishna Catholic Unit and the shrines have some agriculture lands. We have all documents for our properties and the Land Committee is taking measures to protect the assets,” said Bishop Rajarao.
The then Rector of Saint Joseph Institute Arlati Swamy installed the idol of Mary Matha in the cave formed on Gunadala Hill on February 11, 1925.
Later, the shrine was named Gunadala Mary Matha Shrine and was developed by Catholic bishops, Bishop Rajarao added.
