History
The church was built during 16th century, and dedicated to St. Peter. Later Jesuits consecrated it to Our Lady of Snows. In 1542 St. Francis Xavier visited the shrine to catechise the Paravas, the indigenous people of the Pearl Fishery Coast, and to strengthen them in Christian faith. The history of the shrine is closely connected with the mass conversion of the paravar community, numbering about 30,000.
In 1982, when the Church of Our Lady of Snows celebrated its 400th anniversary, Pope John Paul II raised it to the status of Basilica through his apostolic letter Pervenute illa Dei Beatissimae Genitricis Effigies.
Read more about this topic: Our Lady Of Snows Basilica
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