Our Mylai Madha

The image of Our Lady of Mylapore is of wood, three feet high and represents Our Lady seated on a Throne, her hands joined in prayer and her eyes piously cast down. Seeing her in that posture, one's thoughts fly back to the invocation, "Comforter of the afflicted" of the Litany of Loretto and to the "Salve Regina"; 'turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us'. She wears a long-sleeved robe; a veil covers the head falling upon her shoulders in the form of a long mantle; both mantle and veil are gilt. Her mouth, nose and eye are finely fashioned. The whole statue reveals western workmanship and can safely be assumed to have been brought by the Portuguese. It was probably brought by Fr.Gaspar Coelho in 1543 when he came here as a Parish Priest. It is not only the oldest but also by far the most beautiful statue of Our Lady in the east of India.

The image of Our Lady of Mylapore was also very closely connected with St.Francis Xavier, the seocnd Apostle of India, who made a pilgrimage on foot from Nagapattinam to Mylapore and spent four months in continual prayer imploring God through the intercession of St.Thomas to make known to him whether it was his divine will that he should go to the Far East or not in quest of souls. St.Francis Xavier was accustomed to pass on whole nights in prayer and when he was beaten and maltreated by demons, he was heard imploring the help of the Empress of Heaven, shouting with all his might "Glorious Lady, help me, my kind Lady, will you not come to my aid?"

The Feast of Mylai Madha is celebrated between the last week of November and the second week of December.