Heritage Walk to Ross Hill with Jayshree Hatangadi

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Heritage walk - Ross Hill, Vizag

Click on this link to see a video of the Heritage Walk
https://youtu.be/x7ZB_L6FlSw





Ross Hill Chapel, Mother Mary’s Church
The entry to the harbour navigation channel of Vizagapatam is bounded on the west by the Dolphin’s Nose hill and on the east by three hills and the central and the highest hill amongst the three is named after a Mr. Ross who was a Sub-Judge who built a bungalow about 1848, on the hill which bears his name.
In 1866, the then Bishop Msgr J.M. Tissot acquired the bungalow and on August 15, 1867, an altar was erected and blessed as a chapel, by the then Vicar General Fr. Richard.
Cyclones in 1870 and 1876 wrought havoc and affected the chapel too. Consequently, on 1st May 1877, a new statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was placed upon the altar.

The Church underwent many renovations to accommodate the increasing number of devotees. It was found that the Chapel on the Hill was too small, so Fr. Contat who was in charge of the Hill Chapel with the permission of the Bishop pulled down the front part of the Chapel, keeping only the sanctuary and adjacent rooms began to build a new church. 
The new church was blessed by Bishop Clerc on 6th December 1905.
In December 1929, after another rebuild following the 1923 cyclone, Monsignor Rossillion, Bishop of Vizagapatam dedicated a Statue of the Virgin Mary. 
After the Japanese raid over Vizag on April 1942, Bishop Rossillion made a vow to take his people in procession to the Ross Hill Chapel, for the town, to be preserved from further enemy raids.
The first ‘Thanksgiving Procession’ took place on Sunday, 10th February 1946. This annual feast of the Immaculate Conception and procession to the top of the Ross hill, from St. Aloysius School on the evening of every 8th December has become an integral part of Vizag Culture.

This legendary Roman Catholic Mother Mary’s Church is a landmark shrine for people from all walks of life irrespective of caste or creed. The pathway to the church is lined with shrines to the Stations of the Cross. The shrine is a great manifestation of the Catholic life, an expression of everybody’s love and devotion to Mary, the Mother or ‘Deva Matha’.

Click on this link to see a video of the Heritage Walk
https://youtu.be/x7ZB_L6FlSw

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