At this Marian shrine in India water flows miraculously from a giant crucifix

Thousands of pilgrims arrive every day from all over Orissa (one of India’s 28 states) to witness the miracle of the water that can be seen flowing from the feet of Christ on the cross and from the rocks below in the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Dantoling. The sacred image of Jesus on the cross was installed on April 23, 2019 and water began to flow on November 2, the feast of All Souls.

Fr. Sanjeeb Biro, the parish priest of the shrine, states: "The miracle takes place at the behest of God. It has increased people's faith. People from all over Orissa come every day, and even faithful from other religions have shown strong faith in Jesus. Respect, devotion and reverence for Mary have increased. Many patients have already been healed.”

The shrine belongs to the diocese of Berhampur, one of the most tormented by Hindu radicals during sectarian violence in the Kandhamal district in 2008. Martha Nayak, a widow who survived the massacres, says: "The Virgin Mary intercedes for us in times of sickness, suffering, danger and hopeless situations through her Son Jesus Christ who comes to our aid.”

Proful Kumar Digal, from Kampada, in the sub-division of Balliguda, says: "I am one of the victims of violence against Christians. Hindu extremists came to the village and destroyed my home, but they failed to hurt my family. God saved us. Visiting the shrine, my faith has grown. I have forgiven and prayed for the people who harassed us, threatened to kill us, so that they could welcome Jesus."

Every year the Marian shrine attracts thousands of faithful, Catholics and non-Catholics, especially during the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11th. People of all faiths go there, and find solace in prayer and claim to have been miraculously cured—with healing, in mind and spirit.

The first settlement of Dantoling dates back to the mid-1800s. Over the centuries the territory had been lashed by various waves of drought that caused at least 10 million deaths. The peak was in 1866 with the outbreak of a cholera and smallpox epidemic. The first to respond to the calamity were the French missionaries of St Francis de Sales, who gathered sick, orphaned and abandoned children and took them to the orphanage of the Surada mission.

The Christian presence was born with the first 250 Catholic families. The erection of the shrine took place in 1917, as a sign of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, at the behest of people of all faiths, to give thanks for the protection of the Madonna from pestilence and famine.

Adapted from:

Purushottam Nayak, Asia News