Have you heard of Gunadala?

From last February 9-11, a large number of Christians and Hindus went to St Mary’s Gunadala Matha Shrine, in the heart of southern India, to attend the first Mass of the Mary Matha festival held in Our Lady’s honor.

Many Hindus joined the procession. According to the diocese of Vijayawada, in the east of India, only 60% of the participants were Christians. For the Hindus, the Virgin Mary is a manifestation of Mahadevi, "the great goddess," and they are comfortable with the expressions of the faith of Indian Christians.

The statue venerated by the Indians made a long journey. Sculpted in Italy, then installed in 1925 by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, it is in keeping with the great Marian shrines of Lourdes or Fatima. The memory of the first apparition of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous, February 11, 1858, is celebrated in great pomp in Gunadala. A strong tradition, although not confirmed by the Church, asserts that the Virgin Mary appeared on the hill of Gunadala on the same day that she appeared to Saint Bernadette in Lourdes.

Every year 1.5 million pilgrims come to pray to Mary in Gunadala!

Aleteia