Our Lady of Snow
The Roman Catholic parish, in the village of Kallikulam, Tamilnadu, India, became known in India
because of vision and apparition of Our Lady. A strong oral tradition attests to Our Lady’s
apparition at Kallikulam. The tradition is built around the following few significant events:
On 1884, the villagers and Jesuit Missionaries decided to build a new church in Kallikulam for Our
Lady. They were undecided about the location of the church. Our Lady appeared to few village elders
in dream and showed them the location of the proposed church. In the morning they consulted together
and went to the parish priest to tell him what Our Lady had made known to them. The parish priest could
not doubt that this was a celestial prodigy. They assembled the clergy and people and went to the
indicated place to verify the reality of the marvel. On that hot summer day of August, they found a
snow patch, marking the boundary of the church on the place indicated by Our Lady.
This is the first miracle of Our Lady in this shrine. On 1886, a magnificent church was constructed
in that place and consecrated to Our Lady of Snows.
On 29th March 1939, evening around 6.30 pm, Our Lady appeared on a hill near to the church and
blessed the village. She appeared in the middle of bright white light. Six young people (Gnana Athikkam,
S.P.John, M.G.Thomas, D.Thasan, R.Thasan, M.A.Thasan) saw that apparition and informed that
to parish priest Rev. Father Marianoos and the village people. Rev. Father Marianoos and the people
were uncertain about that apparition and decided to request Our Lady to confirm that apparition. They
prayed to Our Lady and requested to confirm that apparition by a natural sign on the next day. The
next day, on that hot summer season, the arid zone Kallikulam got an unusual heavy rain. Thus Our Lady
confirmed that apparition and her presence in this shrine.
Since then, thousands of people of all faiths, from all over India, have visited Kallikulam and have
left spiritually strengthened and renewed. Countless unbelievers and physically or mentally afflicted,
have been converted and healed. Not only do multitudes of Catholic travel there throughout the year but
many non-Christians visit as well. Hundreds of miraculous cures are reported every year. Our Lady of
the Snows devotions down through the centuries have proved the place to be of divine origin.
The shrine is a center of hospitality and spiritual growth, founded in Tamil tradition and culture.
Here, Our Lady of the Snow, is popularly known as Panimatha. Panimatha is a Tamil
word. In Tamil 'Pani' means 'Snow' and 'Matha' means 'Mother'.