Historical Events of St. Mary’s Basilica
Historical records indicate that there were a Catholic Christian community and church in Mulagumoodu even before 1847 .
In 1860, Father Victor OCD began his ministry in Mulagumoodu.
In 1862, 40 acres of land was purchased by Father Victor for the Mulagumoodu Parish.
In 1862, many people died of cholera. Many children lost their parents and became orphans.
In 1862, Father Victor started orphanages in Mulagumoodu Parish.
In 1862, a house was built for Father Victor to stay in Manavalan Paarai.
In 1864, the Carmelite minor seminary was temporarily established in the church premises.
In 1870, Father Victor's younger brother, Father Eugeen, visited Mulagumoodu.
In 1883, a tile factory was established by Father Victor for the Mulagumoodu parish.
Father Eugeen built a 5-story tower in the premises of the Infant Jesus Sisters' House, the “Eugeen Tower.” We can see this tower here.
In 1884, Father Victor built a primary school on the premises of the orphanage. Classes were conducted in Malayalam. This school was relocated and held at the location of the St. Mary’s Community Hall.
In 1888, many people died during the second wave of cholera.
In 1891, the church bell was brought from France. The front of the bell is engraved with the image of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus in her arms.
In 1891, Construction of the Mulagumoodu Sisters' House began and was completed in 1897 .
On 07.11.1897, Sisters Marie Louis De-meester and Marie Ursule from Belgium arrived in Mulagumoodu.
In 1897, Sister Marie Louis De-Meester and Sister Marie Ursule took charge of the Orphanages in Mulagumoodu.
In 1897, the construction of the Infant Jesus Church began at Mulagumoodu.
On 22.01.1899, the Kollam Bishop Ferdinand Marie Ossi started a single class room primary school in the Infant Jesus orphanage premises.
First time Sr. Marie Louis De-Meester began the ICM congregation in Mulagumoodu. The rules for the congregation were drawn on December 1907 and was approved by the Pope on 01.10.1920 .
The construction of the church in the name of the St. Mary began on July 18, 1910 and was completed on June 24, 1912 , and the church was consecrated. The church, built in 1910 , had a two-story tiled roof.
In 1914, the Painting of the Virgin Mary was brought from Belgium.
In 1914, permission was granted to start the fourth grade in the school through the Tamil and Malayalam medium.
In 1920the Infant Jesus Teacher Training Institute was established.
In 1920, the primary school that was being run in the area where the St. Mary’s Community Hall was located was relocated to the church premises under the name of St. Joseph's Primary School.
In 1932, the first flag staff of round granite stones and mortar was erected.
On 21st April 1941, Catholic Action Society was started in Mulagumoodu.
In 1949, the St. Theresa's Kurusadi was built in the left front of the church.
In 1960, St. Don Bosco catechism was established.
In 1969, the primary school was converted into a middle school.
In 1972, St. Anthony's Kurusadi at Mulagumoodu junction was built.
In 1976, the middle school was upgraded to a high school.
In 1982, the church, which was built with a tiled roof, was converted to a concrete roof.
In 1983, St. Joseph's School was upgraded as St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School.
In 1991, St. Joseph's Matriculation Higher Secondary School was started.
In 1993, Anbiyams were started in the parish.
In 1997, the worship committee was started.
On 27.06.1999, the first parish council was formed.
In 2007, Father Victor Library was started.
On 21.05.2009, the construction of the Amalavorpa Annai church in Vilavur, sub-station, was completed and consecrated.
On 02-11-2009, the Equality Cemetery was built with a system of 360 grave boxes.
On 01.04.2010, the People's Bank was launched.
In 2010, the Jubilee Memorial Building was built.
In 2011, the church renovation work began and was completed in 2014 with a new dome structure.
In 2012, the 80-year-old flag staff was replaced and a new bronze flag staff was installed.
On 26.07.2015, the St. Mary,s Outer Hall was consecrated and opened in the church premises.
On 14-1-2016, the Apostolic Nuncio to India, His Excellency Archbishop Salvatore Ponnaccio, visited.
On 14.06.2018, the St. Mary's International Higher secondary School was inaugurated.
In 2018, our St. Mary’s Community Hall was renovated at a cost of Rs. one crore.
On 9.06.2020, our church was elevated to the 7th Basilica of Tamil Nadu and the 27th Basilica in India. The Sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament was consecrated on that day.
On 4.03.2022, the Stations of the Cross were consecrated.
On 6.6.2022, the Indian Prefect of the Roman Catholic Church, His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gratius, visited the Basilica of the St. Mary.
On 15.06.2022, the St. Mary’s International School was shifted from the church premises to the newly constructed building premises.
On 14.08.2022, the adoration chapel was consecrated for the expansion of the Sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament.
On 09.06.2022, the St. Devasahayam statue was consecrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to India, His Excellency Leopolda Girelli and His Excellency Cardinal Oswald Gracias, and was installed in our church.
28.02.2024, the Father Victor Museum was consecrated and opened by His Excellency Bishop Albert Anastas.
On 9.06.2024, the new Grotto and the St. Mary’s kurusadi were consecrated.
On 15.12.2024, the cemetery beautification work was completed and the dedication was held.
In Mulagumoodu parish, as per 2025census, there are 1350 families and 5450 Christian people.