Memorable Celebrations of the 10th World Day of the Sick in Vailankanni, India

The 10th World Day of the sick was inaugurated solemnly on 9th February evening at the famous shrine of Our Lady of Good Health of Vailankanni in the presence of 25000 faithful besides Cardinal Ivan Dias, archbishops, bishops and hundreds of nuns, priests and a delegation from the Pontifical Council for Health and Pastoral Care.

More than a thousand health care workers from nearly 5000 Hospitals, 2000 rehabilitation Centres, 62 nursing schools and 3 medical colleges that the Catholic Church runs in India have also gathered for an international conference on health care, especially to the poor.

The Central Government Health Minister Dr. C. P. Thakur traveled more than 2000 Kms. from Delhi to inaugurate an exhibition on indigenous medicines organized by the Thanjavur Social Service Society and Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI).

The Papal delegation to India is led by Archbishop Javier Lozano, President of the Pontifical Council for Health and Pastoral Care who as well as being the principal celebrant for the concluding Eucharistic celebration also brought the Holy Father's message for the occasion. Among the other leading speakers at the seminar were Cardinal Ivan Dias of Bombay, Sir Richard Lai, President, International Committee of Catholic Nurses from Malaysia; Archbishop Soter Fernandez of Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Francois Blin, Secretary General, International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations from France and Sr. Nirmala Joshi, the successor to the Late Venerable Mother Teresa. Apart from many archbishops and bishops from other dioceses in India, Bishops from Thailand and Philippines were also present. While Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India was the chief celebrant for the inaugural Eucharist, the Sunday morning Eucharist was presided over by Archbishop Lorenzo Baldiserri, the Apostolic Nuncio to India. The special Papal Envoy, Archbishop Lozano was the main celebrant for the concluding Eucharistic Celebration.

On February 11, 2002, as a fitting memorial for the 10th World Day of the Sick, the foundation stone was blessed by Archbishop Lozano Barragan, for a Child Speciality Hospital to be constructed in Bangalore, attached to the St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences.

Pope John Paul II had in 1993 begun the tradition of World Day of the Sick in the Church, the first of which was celebrated in Lourdes. The shrine of Vailankanni, also known as the Lourdes of the East, attracts more than three million pilgrims every year to its shores including believers of other faiths.