Christianity came to Vettavalam may be from the time of St. Francis Xavier. In the year 1670, St. John De Britto (Jesuits) originally from Portugal came to Vettavalam, stayed at St. Joseph mountain at Vettavalam and preaching Good news to the people. Many people believed in Jesus Christ. He baptized them offered holy Masses, listened to their confession and administered all the other sacraments. The Christianity was flourished in Vettavalam. This was not tolerated by the enemies of the Christianity, so they wanted to kill St. John De Britto and they tried beating and left half dead on the road side thinking that he will die soon. The Catholics of the area taken his body to the St. Joseph mountain side kept him over there nourished him, applied medicines on his wound made him well again and sent him quietly to Oriyur side.

Christianity was live at Vettavalam. Rev.Fr. Dharras a missionary came to serve the area and he was the Parish priest of Vettavalam, During his time the Christianity again flourished. Jamindar of Vettavalam was jealous of his growth, he wanted to put down his name and growth. In the year 1874 the Jamindar burnt all the houses of the catholic and told them to get out from the place telling that you don’t have patta of the place. He also sent 1000 soldiers to destroy the church. The soldiers went and destroyed the front compound wall, but they could not destroyed the church. Meanwhile the Jamindar filed the case against Fr.Dharras in two session one was civil and another was criminal.Fr. Dharras prayed to St. Joseph that he should win the cases and in memory of the victory he wants to built shrine on the mountain.

Jamindar believed that the patta was already burnt due to the fire. The same patta found by the land owner and he gave the patta to Fr.Dharras. Fr.Dharras produced the patta in the court and he won the case. The judgment says,(1) that all the soldiers who destroyed the church dismissed from work. (2) The descendant would not get the job in the Jamin. (3) Rs.1000 to the court for the false case. (4) whatever the Fr. Dharras spent for the case that should be written.

In memory of the victory a shrine was built on the St. Joseph mountain and Inaugurated on 19th March, 1875.