Vallarpadam Basilica: History, Mass Timings and the September Feast
The Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom on Vallarpadam island dates its devotion to 1524. Its history, Latin rite, mass timings and the feast in September.
The National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom stands on Vallarpadam island, a short drive across the Goshree bridges from the city. It is a Latin Catholic church of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, its devotion goes back to around 1524, when Portuguese missionaries brought a painting of Our Lady of Ransom to the island, and Pope John Paul II raised it to a basilica on 1 December 2004, according to the archdiocese. On weekdays, mass is at 6.30am and 5.30pm; the feast of Vallarpadathamma, as locals call Mary here, runs from 16 to 24 September, with the 24th drawing the biggest crowds, according to Wikipedia.
- What is the history of Vallarpadam Church?
- Is Vallarpadam Church a Latin church?
- What is the specialty of Vallarpadam Church?
- What are the mass timings?
What is the history of Vallarpadam Church?
Kerala Tourism says Portuguese missionaries founded a church on Vallarpadam in 1524, the Church of the Holy Spirit, and installed the painting of Our Lady of Ransom there. A flood later destroyed the church and the painting was lost. It was found by Paliyathu Raman Valyachan, a minister to the king of Kochi, who returned it to the people of Vallarpadam. Wikipedia adds that he donated the land for the present church. The church was rebuilt in 1676 and renamed the Church of Our Lady of Ransom.
The dates for the flood are where the sources wobble. The Archdiocese of Verapoly puts the flood in 1676, the same year as the rebuilding; Kerala Tourism's own page gives a date that cannot be right given the 1524 founding. What every account agrees on is the 1524 arrival of the painting, the 1676 rebuilding, and basilica status in the early 2000s, which the archdiocese dates to 1 December 2004.
Is Vallarpadam Church a Latin church?
Yes. The basilica belongs to the Archdiocese of Verapoly, the Latin Catholic archdiocese based in Kochi. The archdiocese's timetable marks the Sunday 4pm mass as Tamil and the Saturday 6pm mass as English.
What is the specialty of Vallarpadam Church?
- Vallarpadathamma: the island calls Mary by this name, and many local stories credit her with miraculous interventions.
- Fishermen's blessing: fishermen bring their boats here to be blessed before their first voyage to sea.
- The Paliyam lamp: the church keeps a kedavilakku, a lamp, gifted by the Paliyam royal family.
- Saturday novena: Saturday is novena day, with four masses instead of two.
Our take: go on an ordinary weekday evening rather than a Saturday if you want the church to yourself for a while. Our guess is that novena Saturdays and the September feast are when you will fight hardest for space, both inside the church and on the road back over the Goshree bridges.
What are the mass timings?
| Day | Mass times (as listed by the Archdiocese of Verapoly, October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 6.30am, 5.30pm |
| Saturday (novena day) | 6.30am, 10.30am, 4.30pm, 6pm (English) |
| Sunday | 6am, 7am, 8am, 9.30am, 11.30am, 4pm (Tamil), 5.30pm |
| Confession, daily | 9.30am to 1pm, 3.30pm to 7pm |
For the route, our story on the Goshree bridges explains how the islands were joined to the mainland, and the Vypin guide covers what lies further on. If you are making a day of Kochi's old churches, add Santa Cruz Basilica in Fort Kochi. More in Things To Do.
Written By
Haila Kochi Editorial Team
Part of the Haila Kochi editorial team, covering the food, business, lifestyle, and people that make Kochi what it is.
