Pilgrimage Sites in India
Discover 10 sacred destinations in India
Arthunkal
St. Andrew's Basilica, the world's largest shrine to St. Sebastian, draws millions to its January feast when eagles mysteriously circle the miraculous statue during the seaside procession.
Chennai
Chennai holds special significance as the site where St. Thomas the Apostle was martyred and buried, making it one of Christianity's most important pilgrimage destinations in India.
Harihar
Minor Basilica on the Tungabhadra River where a 18th-century statue of Mary was found, drawing 300,000 pilgrims each September.
Kolkata
Home of Saint Teresa of Calcutta's tomb at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, where pilgrims pray beside the saint who heard Christ's call to serve the poorest of the poor.
Malayattoor
India's only International Shrine, where St. Thomas the Apostle sought refuge atop Kurisumudi in AD 52, leaving his footprints and a miraculous spring.
Mumbai
India's largest city hosts the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount in Bandra, where the annual Bandra Fair draws hundreds of thousands to venerate a 16th-century statue of the Virgin Mary.
Old Goa
UNESCO World Heritage churches shelter St. Francis Xavier's incorrupt body, drawing millions annually to the 'Rome of the Orient.'
Sardhana
Minor Basilica built by Begum Samru, India's only Catholic ruler, drawing 300,000 pilgrims to Uttar Pradesh each November.
Vallarpadam
The National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom on this island in Kochi's backwaters is known as the 'Lourdes of Kerala,' where a miraculous portrait has drawn pilgrims since 1524.
Velankanni
South Asia's most visited Catholic shrine, where 20 million pilgrims honor the Virgin Mary at the Gothic basilica Pope John XXIII named the "Lourdes of the East."