Annai Velangkanni is a church for the Indian Tamil Catholics and a tourist attraction in Medan. It is devoted to the Lady of Good Health who is also known as the Lady of Velangkanni. To see it on the map, click here.
What’s Special
It represents the diversity of the city that embraces multiple races and religions. Medan is one of the most diverse cities in the country, i.e., where Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Confucians have lived in harmony for hundreds of years. The exterior building design looks like a Hindu temple in India. The design is unique as no other churches look like it. The interior, however, is a church as usual.
What to Enjoy
From the outside, this church looks like a monastery, with a terraced building and the size getting smaller as you go up. While the roof is dome-shaped with an Indo-Mughal or Indian Muslim design.
From a Catholic perspective, you will find a statue of Our Lady of the First Heaven right at the front of the building. Likewise for the nuances of Christianity, you will find Bible stories painted on the stained glass.
The first floor of the Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni Church has a balcony equipped with 14 windows. As a symbol of the way of the cross that Jesus passed before his crucifixion on Golgotha. For those of you who want to worship and attend mass at this church, you can go to the first floor. Inside, you will find a room dominated by white and a row of brown wooden chairs. At the front, there is an altar that is usually used by the priest and his staff when carrying out a series of worship events.
The ceiling above the altar is in the form of a circular dome decorated with paintings of Jesus who lived until he ascended to heaven. While on the front, right facing the congregation, you can see statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus on each side. On the outside, to the left and right of the church building, there is a circular path leading to the front porch. According to Pastor James, this shape seems to show the hand of the Virgin Mary who welcomes the congregation who wants to worship.
What to Expect
Entrance is free.
What Visitors Say
“Not a big parish/paroki of catholic but like graha. One interesting building that made of pastor and community of Indian tamil. Can still pay a visit during pandemic with limited time and can only pay in chapel.” Rangga Yudhika (Source)
“Worship place in medan. Also served as a church, mainly for sri lankan descent. The architecture is very unique, whilst most church used modern design , this church use south asian model. The place is very quiet and serene, many people retreated to this place to gain peace of mind. They also have a natural spring, which is believed to bring positive effect to the people.” Merlin Hutagalung (Source)
“Di luar Graha juga ada toko rohani, di dalamnya menjual pernak – pernik kristen. Jadi buat yang belum puas melihat di dalam graha bisa ke toko rohani tersebut.” spinaclaban (Source)
“The uniqueness of the architecture of this house of worship makes tourism lovers come to visit this place just to take pictures with the unique towering background of the building.” bolehwisata (Source)
Next point of interest: