Shrines

It was previously known as Galikonda where on people of Gnanapuram used to go for sight seeing. The Statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus was erected on 15th June 1928 by his Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter Rossillion and dedicated the entire diocese to the Sacred Hear t of Jesus. People used to celebrate the feast of Sacred Hear t of Jesus and thus once a year they used to come up the hill.

In the reign of Fr. Paul Maipan as the Parish Priest of Gnanapuram with foresight the Galikonda was converted into a marvellous Rakshanagiri(hill of salvation). Mysteries of the Holy Rosary and the stations of the Cross were erected all along the road side. Rakshanagiri simply captivates the hear ts of the people towards Pilgrim Journey. The place has become so powerful with all the pious activities taking place there and that the people go over there for their spiritual nourishment. Sisters pray round the clock for the welfare of the diocese in the Monastery attached to the Shrine.

Thus it has become God’s provision for strengthening the faith of the people. There are several spiritual exercises in current in this endeavour. First Friday and Third Friday of every month there is a full day Dhyanam. Round the clock oppor tunity is there to develop intimacy with Eucharistic Lord enthroned on the altar.

Ross Hill Shrine is at the entrance of the Visakhapatnam Harbour, on Ross Hill Facing Bay of Bengal. A judge called Mr. Ross had a bungalow on the hill and thus the hill was named Ross Hill. The bungalow was bought in 1886 by the then Bishop Mgr. J M Tissot; certain repairs were made and an altar was erected and blessed as a Chapel on 15th August 1867 by the then Vicar General Fr. Richard under the patronage of Our Lady of Hope.

The cyclones of 1870 and 1876 caused havoc in the town of Visakhapatnam and also the Chapel on the Ross Hill was affected. So Bishop Tissot made a vow to make a new chapel on Ross Hill and dedicate it to Our Lady of the Sacred Hear t “in order to obtain from our Heavenly Mother the grace of being protected from the effects of such dangerous storms in the future. The prayer of the holy Bishop seems to have been heard, thence that day, though the town experienced cyclones, none did suffer any great damage.” Accordingly a real Chapel was solemnly blessed in May 1877 and a new statue of Our Lady was placed upon the altar. Then onwards the chief feasts of our Blessed Mother and the month of May were kept in the Hill Chapel with all solemnity possible; thus the Ross Hill Chapel began to be frequented by faithful and devotion to Our Lady has increased.

Later on, many improvements were done during the period from 1880 to 1900 the steps leading to the church, the bell and the cistern to catch rain water to raise a small garden, and a small grotto under the large banyan tree(which was later demolished and rebuilt afresh in 1939. This too was to demolished and a new grotto was constructed moving little backwards in order to avail more space in front of the grotto for the enormous public who attend for the annual feast); also the feast of the Immaculate Conception of 8th December began to aim more importance. In the beginning of the Century Bishop J M Clerc, the successor of Bishop Tissot ordered the feast of Immaculate Conception to be celebrated more solemnly in the Diocese wherever possible with a Triduum. Soon it was found that the Chapel on the Hill was too small. So Fr. Contat who was in-charge of the Hill Chapel with the permission of the Bishop pulled down the front par t of the Chapel, keeping only the sanctuary and adjacent rooms began to build a new church. The new church was blessed by Bishop Clerc on 6th December, 1905.

The Ross Hill and Our Lady are now names dear to all Catholics and non-Catholics of the town of Visakhapatnam as well as the diocese of Visakhapatnam. 8th December has become one of the greatest feasts of the year and the procession going to the top of the Ross Hill in the evening has become one of the necessary events of the city, a great manifestation of the catholic life, a proof of love and devotion to Mary, the great Deva Matha invoked by all Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Hindus, the Mother of all.

At present number of programmes are organized at Ross Hill. There is a Bi-monthly Mounadyanam for the lay people, Every first Saturday of the Month there is a day long prayer services, Seminars and Retreats for different groups on regular intervals are on the way. In order to accommodate the faithful who attend these programmes a Dhyanasaram was constructed in the year. With continuous programmes Ross Hill Shrine is ever busy with activities all throughout the year.

One man was miraculously cured by Blessed Mother while he was being taken to Visakhapatnam for fur ther treatment. According to the appearence received by this boy of Blessed Mother, saw a lady asking him to go back home, and be cured from all sickness. It happened according to the voice of the lady. The boy identifies the lady as none other than Blessed Mother. A grotto has come up according to the direction of the Blessed Mother. Ever since this incident took place, devotees star ted flocking in great numbers. Every Second Saturday of the Month there is a full day prayer service.The impor tance of the shrine is being known far and wide. People from long distances are coming fro Pilgrimage. In order to accommodate many people on the important days, Our Bishop purchased adjacent lands to put up a shrine in the near future.

Vyakula Matha Shrine is situated on a small hill at Kondadaba, Kothavalasa. It has beautiful surroundings with full of mango gardens. The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows is enshrined in the shrine brought from France by the French Missionaries. People assemble in great numbers on the feast day coming from very far places. They spend overnight in the mango gardens and atttend the chruch services before they leave to their own places. More facilities are at work to provide better surroundings to the pilgrims.

It was said that the mission in Pachipenta location was there from 1950s. Priests used to come to this place every now and then from Saluru. It was a sub-station of Saluru Parish. Fathers used to visit this place travelling on Bullock carts. It was Fr. Antony Parayil who built the present Church in 1964. It was made a parish in 2007.