The First Apparition: The Miracle of the Milk
The first miraculous event occurred when a young Hindu boy was carrying milk to a customer's home. On his way, he decided to rest under a Banyan tree near a pond, known as Matha Kulam. It was there that Our Lady, holding her infant son, appeared before him. She kindly asked for some milk for her Son, and the boy, filled with a sense of wonder, offered her some.
When the boy reached his destination, he apologized to the customer for the delay and the reduced amount of milk, explaining the extraordinary encounter he had experienced. Upon inspection, the customer, also a Hindu, was astonished to find that the milk pot was miraculously full. Realizing that something divine had occurred, he accompanied the boy back to the site of the apparition. To their amazement, Our Lady appeared once again at the tank. The local Catholic community, upon hearing of the miracle, was overjoyed, and the pond was thereafter named "Matha Kulam," meaning "Our Lady’s Tank."
The Second Apparition: The Crippled Boy’s Cure
Years later, Our Lady made another appearance in Vailankanni, this time to a crippled boy who was selling buttermilk near a public square on the outskirts of the village. She approached the boy, asking for buttermilk for her Son. The boy, without hesitation, complied with her request. Our Lady then instructed him to inform a wealthy Catholic man in the nearby town of Nagapattinam about her appearance.
It wasn't until the boy rose to begin his journey that he realized his crippled leg had been miraculously healed. Filled with awe, he hurried to deliver Our Lady's message. Remarkably, the man he sought had experienced a vision the previous night, in which Our Lady had requested him to build a chapel in her honor. When the boy and the man arrived at the site of the miracle, Our Lady appeared to both of them. In response to this divine encounter, the man erected a humble thatched chapel at the site of her appearance, dedicating it to Our Lady, who came to be known as "Mother of Good Health" or "Arokia Matha."
The Third Miracle: The Rescue of the Portuguese Sailors
The final miraculous event tied to the history of Vailankanni involves a group of Portuguese merchant sailors. Caught in a violent storm that threatened to destroy their ship, the sailors prayed fervently to Our Lady for deliverance. Their prayers were answered, and they were miraculously saved from the storm. Upon reaching the shores of Vailankanni, they were led by local fishermen to the thatched chapel dedicated to Our Lady.
In gratitude for their miraculous rescue, the sailors built a small permanent chapel at the site during a subsequent visit. Over time, they continued to improve and expand this chapel, dedicating it to Our Lady of Vailankanni. They chose September 8th, the feast of her nativity, to commemorate both their safe landing and the miraculous events that led them to this holy place.