The Shrine of Our Lady of Our Health, Hyderabad, is the biggest octagonal church in Asia.
It is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in Hyderabad and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In this church the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on 8 September every year.
Every year the celebrations start with the Flag Hoisting on 29 August, after which a Novena to Our Lady of Health is held daily in the evenings, when a parish from Hyderabad or Secundrabad comes to host the Holy Mass.
After the mass there is a procession with the Statue of Our Lady of Health out in the grounds of the church, after which Benediction takes place.
The Saifabad Christian community was under the spiritual care of St. Joseph's Cathedral Church, which had been a mother to many parishes in the Hyderabad area.
In 1903, 'the 3rd Infantry returned from Sholapur and was quartered here permanently' (vide letter of Mr. Caesar, Retired Troop Officer, Aug. 1920),[clarification needed] and the Catholic Christian community grew.
Malberti, the then parish priest of St. Joseph's Cathedral, mooted the idea of building a chapel in 1902 to cater to the needs of the Catholic soldiers of the A.C.
It was, however, consecrated by Bishop Vigano on 10 January 1904 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the declaration of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Passoni, an Italian priest who had to come to Hyderabad from China as the climate did not suit him, was asked to be in charge of Saifabad.
In 1944 he was released and he came back to Saifabad but due to certain difficulties with Hyderabad Army, he was transferred towards the end of 1947.
Xavier Roch, who for some time the Vice Principal of All Saints High School and Asst.
He remained Parish Priest of this place for 27 years till his untimely death on 14 August 1974.
But there is an official letter of erection of the ‘ New Parish of Our Lady of Health' signed by the then bishop of Hyderabad Rt.
Xavier Roch nor the people here, as he had been coming regularly from St. Joseph’s Cathedral to visit and celebrate Mass on Sundays.
In 1950, as the then existing church was found too small for the congregation, a grotto was built, after obtaining due permission, where Sunday and Feast Masses were offered.
Roch asked for and obtained allotment of two plots of land from Govt, 1 (in front of the present church) measuring 3413.33 Sq.
177/GAD-G/202/51 dated 11 May 1951 and the other plot of land (where Vijay Marie Hospital now stands) measuring 2971.44 Sq.
2731/129-L-51A, dated 12 April 1952) as the church activities, including school and the dispensary needed more space.
In 1954, foundation stone was laid by late His Exalted Highness, the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan Fateh Jung, to a novel Octagonal Church on 27 December 1954.
In the meantime, J.M.J Sisters from Guntur were looking for a place in the city for the extension of their medical services and 12 acres of land was bought by them and their provincial was good enough to give permission to build a Church in their land, close to the main road.
In 1971, rebuilding work was undertaken and on 13 June 1973, the church was blessed and inaugurated by Archbishop S Arulappa.
About this time, there was need for a parish hall; a 1st floor building was erected at the cost of Rs.
Roch, in his 'History of Khairtabad Parish', says in the concluding paragraph "Now with an energetic and active young priest, Fr.
Y M Joseph, this year 1974, a Vijay Marie School, in the parish hall, has been started with only one class, the 4th standard, about 50 students are attending.
Now to continue with the rest of the history of the parish: Holy Mary School entertained boys only up to Class III and they were asked to find admission elsewhere for further studies.
Y. M. Joseph was asked by the parents of four students to approach the Catholic schools in Gunfoundry for admission of their children who completed class III in Holy Mary.
Roch, encouraged him to start 'Vijay Marie School' as it was called and commenced on 13 June 1974 with 53 students in class IV.
Attempts were made to build a parish hall and to create facilities to receive the pilgrims.
Though the financial help was not given, the construction was undertaken with the savings of the Shrine, the generous contribution of the people and a loan from HASSS, which will be paid back in due course of time.