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{{Short description|Our Lady Of Madhu}}
{{Infobox religious building
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name = Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
| building_name = Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
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| image = Madhu Church (Madu Church)9.jpg
| image = Madhu Church (Madu Church)9.jpg
| religious_affiliation = [[Roman Catholic]]
| religious_affiliation = [[Roman Catholic]]
| rite = [[Latin Rite]]
| rite = [[Latin Church|Latin Rite]]
| caption =
| caption =
| consecrated =
| consecrated =
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| architecture = yes
| architecture = yes
| architect =
| architect =
| architecture_type = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| architecture_type = [[Church (building)|Church]] with shrine before it
| architecture_style = [[Baroque Revival architecture|Baroque Revival]]
| architecture_style = [[Baroque Revival architecture|Baroque Revival]]
| general_contractor =
| general_contractor =
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| specifications = no
| specifications = no
}}
}}
[[File:Madhu Church (Madu Church)15.jpg|250px|right]]
The '''Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu''' is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[Marian shrine]] in [[Mannar district]] of [[Sri Lanka]]. With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for [[pilgrimage]] and [[worship]] for Sri Lankan [[Catholics]].<ref name="dailylk">S. J. Anthony Fernando [http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/08/15/fea03.html Madhu Church ready for August festival pilgrims] Daily News, Sri Lanka</ref> The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island<ref name="british">[http://brcslproject.gn.apc.org/slmonitor/march99/batt.html Sri Lankan Monitor] on British Refugee Council.</ref> and is a well known place of devotion for both [[Tamil people|Tamil]] and [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] Catholics.<ref name="sspx1">[http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Sri_Lanka/NewsArchive.htm Negotiations Resume, Our Lady of Madhu is a Pilgrim of Peace] on SSPX News Archive.< pp.480</ref> the church has been a symbol of unity not just between Tamils and Sinhalese, but also between people of different religions, including [[Buddhists]], [[Hindus]] and [[Protestants]].<ref name=BBC>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7336855.stm Tamil Tigers appeal over shrine] on BBC News.</ref>
The '''Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu''' is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[Marian shrine]] in [[Mannar district]] of [[Sri Lanka]]. With a history of more than 400 years, the shrine acts as a center of [[pilgrimage]] and [[worship]] for Sri Lankan [[Catholics]].<ref name="dailylk">S. J. Anthony Fernando [http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/08/15/fea03.html Madhu Church ready for August festival pilgrims] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217153130/http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/08/15/fea03.html |date=2007-12-17 }} Daily News, Sri Lanka</ref> The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island<ref name="british">[http://brcslproject.gn.apc.org/slmonitor/march99/batt.html Sri Lankan Monitor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802000524/http://brcslproject.gn.apc.org/slmonitor/march99/batt.html |date=2007-08-02 }} on British Refugee Council.</ref> and is a well known place of devotion for both [[Tamil people|Tamil]] and [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] Catholics.<ref name="sspx1">[http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Sri_Lanka/NewsArchive.htm Negotiations Resume, Our Lady of Madhu is a Pilgrim of Peace] on SSPX News Archive.< pp.480</ref> The church has been a symbol of unity not just between Tamils and Sinhalese but also between people of different religions, including [[Buddhists]], [[Hindus]] and [[Protestants]].<ref name=BBC>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7336855.stm Tamil Tigers appeal over shrine] on BBC News.</ref>


[[Pope Pius XI]] granted the image a [[Canonical coronation]] on 2 July 1924. Attendance for the August festival at times touched close to a million people before the outbreak of the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].<ref name="dailylk" /> Situated in the heart of the conflict zone, pilgrimage to this shrine was dramatically affected by the Civil War with the presence of refugee camps around the shrine complex.<ref name="british" /> It [[Madhu church shelling|was shelled]] a number of times.
[[Pope Benedict XV]] granted the image a pontifical decree of coronation on 7 April 1921 via the Prefect of the [[Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith]], Cardinal [[Willem Marinus van Rossum]]. The rite of coronation was executed on 2 July 1924.
Attendance for the August festival at times almost reached one million people before the outbreak of the [[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan Civil War]].<ref name="dailylk" /> Situated in the heart of the conflict zone, pilgrimage to this shrine was dramatically affected by the civil war with the presence of refugee camps around the shrine complex.<ref name="british" /> It [[Madhu church shelling|was shelled]] a number of times.


== History ==
== History ==


=== Background ===
=== Background ===
[[Christianity in Sri Lanka]] is not well known before the 16th century although some local traditions claim that [[Thomas (apostle)|Saint Thomas]] the [[Twelve apostles|Apostle]] was active in the island.<ref>[http://www.discoversrilanka.com/religion/christianity.php Christianity in Sri Lanka] on Discover Sri Lanka</ref> The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[missionaries]] from [[India]], especially under the authority of '''[[Saint Francis Xavier]]''' are known to have brought [[Roman Catholicism]] to the [[Kingdom of Jaffna]], which comprised the northern [[peninsula]] of Sri Lanka.<ref name="mannar">[http://www.mannardiocese.org/madhushrine/history.htm A short account of the historical and devotional development of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Madhu] on the Mannar Diocese webpage</ref> The newly converted Christians were under persecution under both the king of [[Jaffna]]<ref name="mannar" /> and the [[Dutch Empire|Dutch]].<ref name="Ceylon">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03547c.htm Ceylon] on Catholic Encyclopedia.</ref> During this time the Catholics regrouped to form a church in [[Mantai]] installing a statue of [[Our Lady of Good Health]] in a shrine.<ref name="mannar" />
[[Christianity in Sri Lanka]] is not well known before the 16th century although some local traditions claim that [[Thomas (apostle)|Saint Thomas]] the [[Twelve apostles|Apostle]] was active on the island.<ref>[https://us.lakpura.com/pages/christianity Christianity in Sri Lanka] on Discover Sri Lanka</ref> [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[missionaries]] from [[India]], especially under the authority of [[Saint Francis Xavier]], introduced [[Roman Catholicism]] to the [[Kingdom of Jaffna]] in northern Sri Lanka.<ref name="mannar">[http://www.mannardiocese.org/madhushrine/history.htm A short account of the historical and devotional development of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Madhu] on the Mannar Diocese webpage</ref> The newly converted Christians were persecuted under both the king of [[Jaffna]]<ref name="mannar" /> and the [[Dutch Empire|Dutch]].<ref name="Ceylon">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03547c.htm Ceylon] on Catholic Encyclopedia.</ref> During this time the Catholics regrouped to form a church a few miles north in [[Manthai]], installing a statue of [[Our Lady of Good Health]] in a shrine.<ref name="mannar" />


=== The shrine in Madhu ===
=== The shrine in Madhu ===
[[File:Madhu Church (Madu Church)11.jpg|right|250px]]
⚫
The Dutch invasion and the persecution of the Catholic Church in 1670,<ref name="Ceylon" /> led to 20 Catholic families fleeing from Mantai, along with the statue of Mary in that church to a safer locale of '''Madhu'''.<ref name="sundaytimes">Fr. S.K. Devarajah [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040822/plus/5.html Monument of miracles] on Sunday Times, Sri Lanka.</ref> About the same time another 700 Catholics migrated from Jaffna peninsula into Wanni forests. When these two communities met in Madhu they installed a new shrine with the statue.<ref name="mannar" />

⚫
The Dutch invasion in 1670 and the ensuing persecution of the Catholic Church<ref name="Ceylon" /> led to 20 Catholic families fleeing from Manthai, along with the statue of Mary in that church to the safer locale of Madhu.<ref name="sundaytimes">Fr. S.K. Devarajah [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040822/plus/5.html Monument of miracles] on Sunday Times, Sri Lanka.</ref> About the same time another 700 Catholics migrated from the Jaffna peninsula into Wanni forests. When these two communities met in Madhu, they installed a new shrine with the statue.<ref name="mannar" />


=== Expansions ===
=== Expansions ===
With the revival of Catholic faith by missionaries such as '''Saint [[Joseph Vaz]]''', Oratorian priests expanded the small shrine in late 17th century.<ref name="mannar" /> With the arrival of [[British Empire|British]] to the island, the persecution ceased, but the number of Catholics remained small, with just 50,000 members in 1796.<ref name="Ceylon" /> With such a small community the shrine at Madhu started to attract pilgrims from all over the country.<ref name="mannar" /> The stifling of Jesuit authority which had started in 1773 in the subcontinent<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Missionary+Tropics:+The+Catholic+Frontier+in+India,+16th-17th...-a0152010918 The Catholic Frontier in India; 16-17th century] from The Free library.</ref> built-up as a problem and eventual suppression of the Congregation in Madhu by 1834.<ref name="mannar" /> The building of the new church was initiated by Bishop Bonjean in 1872 and his successors built a [[facade]], the spacious [[presbytery (architecture)|presbytery]], the restful [[chapel]] of the Blessed [[Sacrament]] and the [[grotto]] of [[Our Lady of Lourdes]].<ref name="sundaytimes" />
With the revival of the Catholic faith by missionaries such as [[Joseph Vaz]], [[Oratory of Saint Philip Neri|Oratorian]] priests expanded the small shrine in the late 17th century.<ref name="mannar" /> With the arrival of the [[British Empire|British]] to the island, anti-Catholic persecution ceased, but the number of Catholics remained small with just 50,000 members in 1796.<ref name="Ceylon" /> In spite of such a small community, the shrine at Madhu began attracting pilgrims from all over the country.<ref name="mannar" /> The stifling of [[Jesuit]] authority which had been established in South Asia in 1773<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Missionary+Tropics:+The+Catholic+Frontier+in+India,+16th-17th...-a0152010918 The Catholic Frontier in India; 16-17th century] from The Free library.</ref> eventually led to the suppression of the [[Society of Jesus]] in Madhu by 1834.<ref name="mannar" /> The building of the new church was initiated by Bishop Bonjean in 1872 and his successors built a [[facade]], a spacious [[presbytery (architecture)|presbytery]], a restful [[chapel]] of the Blessed [[Sacrament]] and a [[grotto]] of [[Our Lady of Lourdes]].<ref name="sundaytimes" />


== Pontifical coronation ==
== Papal recognition ==
In 1920 Bishop Brault, who was very devoted to Our Lady of Madhu, obtained the [[Pope]]'s sanction for the historic solemn [[Canonical Coronation]] of the Statue of Our Lady of Madhu. Bishop Brault with the clergy and the laity had petitioned the [[Holy See|Vatican]] Chapter through the Apostolic Delegate [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] Van Rossam, Prefect of the S.C. of Propaganda and he personally presented the request to the Pope, who in his audience of April 7, 1921, granted the request. In 1924 it was officially crowned by the Papal Legate who came in the name of [[Pope Pius XI]].<ref name="sundaytimes" />
In 1920, Bishop of [[Jaffna]], André Jules Brault sought [[Pope Benedict XV]]'s sanction for the [[canonical coronation]] of the venerated image. Bishop Brault as well as the clergy and laity had petitioned the [[Holy See]] through the [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]] [[Willem Marinus van Rossum]], the Prefect of the [[Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples]]. Cardinal Van Rossum personally presented the request to the Pope, who granted it in his audience of 7 April 1921. On 2 July 1924, the statue was officially crowned.<ref name="sundaytimes" />


== The Consecration of the Church ==
== Consecration of the church ==
The Church was consecrated in 1944 during [[World War II]]. In preparation for the consecration ceremony, a marble altar replaced the old wooden structure and the whole sanctuary was covered with white and blue marble. In spite of travel restrictions and difficulties finding conveyance, more than 30,000 people came to the jungle shrine.<ref name="mannar" />
The church was consecrated in 1944 during [[World War II]]. In preparation for the consecration ceremony, a marble altar replaced the old wooden structure and the whole sanctuary was covered with white and blue marble. In spite of travel restrictions and difficulty finding transportation, more than 30,000 people came to the jungle shrine.<ref name="mannar" />


== The penitential tour ==
== The penitential tour ==
The statue of Our Lady of Madhu had been taken for procession thrice to the [[parish]]es in Sri Lanka, in 1948, 1974 and in 2001. The latter was as a spiritual effort to encourage Catholics in Sri Lanka to pray for peace and an end to the civil war.<ref name="sundaytimes" />
The statue of Our Lady of Madhu has been taken for procession thrice to the [[parish]]es in Sri Lanka, in 1948, 1974 and 2001. The latter was as a spiritual effort to encourage Catholics in Sri Lanka to pray for peace and an end to the civil war.<ref name="sundaytimes" />


== Feast day at Madhu ==
== Feast day at Madhu ==
In the year 1870 the new Bishop arranged an annual festival to be celebrated on 2 July.<ref name="mannar" /> But in recent years the August 15th festival draws the biggest crowds because it is one of the most hallowed days for Catholics celebrating the day of [[Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary]] into heaven and also because the school holidays facilitate entire families to make the trip.<ref name="dailylk" />
In 1870, the new bishop arranged an annual festival to be celebrated on 2 July.<ref name="mannar" /> However, in recent years the 15 August festival has drawn the biggest crowds as it is one of the most hallowed days for Catholics, the feast of the [[Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary]] into heaven, and it comes during school holidays when entire families can make the trip.<ref name="dailylk" />


== Church amidst civil war ==
== Church amidst civil war ==


=== Background ===
=== Background ===
{{Main|Sri Lankan civil war}}
{{Main|Sri Lankan Civil War}}

The '''Civil War''' on the [[island]]-nation of [[Sri Lanka]] lasted thirty years. Since 1983 there was on-and-off [[civil war]], predominantly between the [[Government of Sri Lanka|government]] and the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a [[Separatism|separatist]] militant organization who fight to create an [[Independence|independent]] state named [[Tamil Eelam]] in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|North]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|East]] of the island. It is estimated that more than 68,000 people were killed since 1983<ref name="rw1">[http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/STED-6YNPE7?OpenDocument Sri Lanka says sinks rebel boats on truce anniversary][[Reuters]]</ref>
The [[civil war]] on the [[island]]-nation of [[Sri Lanka]] lasted thirty years. Since 1983, there was on-and-off civil war, predominantly between the [[Government of Sri Lanka|government]] and the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a [[Separatism|separatist]] militant organization who fought to establish an [[Independence|independent]] state named [[Tamil Eelam]] in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|north]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|east]] of the island. It is estimated that more than 68,000 people were killed since 1983.<ref name="rw1">[http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/STED-6YNPE7?OpenDocument Sri Lanka says sinks rebel boats on truce anniversary][[Reuters]]</ref>


=== Refugee camps ===
=== Refugee camps ===
The shrine has housed thousands of refugees since 1990.<ref name="sspx2" /> In the Autumn of 1999 more than 10,000 refugees were camped for security reasons around the Shrine area and was regarded as a "demilitarized zone".<ref name="sspx1" />
The shrine has housed thousands of refugees since 1990.<ref name="sspx2" /> In the autumn of 1999, more than 10,000 refugees took shelter in the Madhu area, which was seen as a demilitarised zone.<ref name="sspx1" />


=== Madhu church shelling ===
=== Madhu church shelling ===
{{Main|Madhu church shelling}}{{See also|Madhu school bus bombing}}
{{Main|Madhu church shelling}}
{{See also|Madhu school bus bombing}}

On November 20, 1999 the area was shelled killing 44 people and injuring more than 60; both sides blamed the pther.<ref name="sspx2" /><ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB723D4943B7B8E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Sri Lanka, Rebels Trade Blame in Shrine Attack at Least 35 Refugees Killed in Assault on Catholic Church] on November 22, 1999, Page 5A, San Jose Mercury News.</ref><ref name="wsws">[http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/dec1999/sri-d10.shtml Dozens of Sri Lankan refugees killed in artillery attack on church] on World Socialist Website.</ref> Catholic bishops called for the Madhu vicinity to be a demilitarised zone with guaranteed security for pilgrims and the 15,000 refugees taking shelter.<ref name="sspx2">[http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Sri_Lanka/NewsArchive.htm Madhu Shrine stands as a sign of hope amidst the fury of war] on SSPX News Archive.</ref> When the violence escalated the civilians sheltered in the premises had to flee further north; the statue itself had to be moved because of repeated shelling.<ref name=BBC />
On November 20, 1999, the area was shelled, killing 44 people and injuring more than 60; each side blamed the other.<ref name="sspx2" /><ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB723D4943B7B8E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Sri Lanka, Rebels Trade Blame in Shrine Attack at Least 35 Refugees Killed in Assault on Catholic Church] on November 22, 1999, Page 5A, San Jose Mercury News.</ref><ref name="wsws">[http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/dec1999/sri-d10.shtml Dozens of Sri Lankan refugees killed in artillery attack on church] on World Socialist Website.</ref> Catholic bishops called for the Madhu area to be a demilitarised zone with guaranteed security for pilgrims and the 15,000 refugees taking shelter.<ref name="sspx2">[http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Sri_Lanka/NewsArchive.htm Madhu Shrine stands as a sign of hope amidst the fury of war] on SSPX News Archive.</ref> When the violence escalated, the civilians sheltered in the premises had to flee further north; the statue itself had to be moved because of repeated shelling.<ref name=BBC />

In 2008, Sri lankan forces shelled on the church during the final war even though the place was well known refugee camp. [http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2008/04/holy-madu-church-destroyed-tna-mp.html?m=1]
In 2009, the civil war ended with the government taking control.


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 66: Line 78:
* [[Roman Catholicism in Sri Lanka]]
* [[Roman Catholicism in Sri Lanka]]
* [[Shrine of Our Lady of Matara]]
* [[Shrine of Our Lady of Matara]]
* [[Sri Lankan civil war]]
* [[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan Civil War]]
* [[Mannar Catholic martyrs (1544)]]
* [[St. Sebastian's Cathedral, Mannar]]
* [[St James' Church, Vidathaltheevu]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Commons|Category:Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu}}
{{Commons category|Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu}}
{{reflist|colwidth=35em}}
{{reflist|colwidth=35em}}
{{Churches in Sri Lanka}}

{{coord|8.854948|80.202880|type:landmark_region:LK|format=dms|display=title}}
{{coord|8.854948|80.202880|type:landmark_region:LK|format=dms|display=title}}


[[Category:Churches in Northern Province, Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Churches in Mannar District]]
[[Category:Mannar District]]
[[Category:Shrines to the Virgin Mary]]
⚫
[[Category:Marian shrines]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1944]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1944]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in the Diocese of Mannar]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in the Diocese of Mannar]]
⚫
[[Category:Roman Catholic shrines in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings]]

Latest revision as of 02:33, 20 December 2024

Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
StatusActive
Location
LocationMannar district, Sri Lanka
Architecture
TypeChurch with shrine before it
StyleBaroque Revival

The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Sri Lanka. With a history of more than 400 years, the shrine acts as a center of pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics.[1] The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island[2] and is a well known place of devotion for both Tamil and Sinhalese Catholics.[3] The church has been a symbol of unity not just between Tamils and Sinhalese but also between people of different religions, including Buddhists, Hindus and Protestants.[4]

Pope Benedict XV granted the image a pontifical decree of coronation on 7 April 1921 via the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Cardinal Willem Marinus van Rossum. The rite of coronation was executed on 2 July 1924.

Attendance for the August festival at times almost reached one million people before the outbreak of the Sri Lankan Civil War.[1] Situated in the heart of the conflict zone, pilgrimage to this shrine was dramatically affected by the civil war with the presence of refugee camps around the shrine complex.[2] It was shelled a number of times.

History

[edit]

Background

[edit]

Christianity in Sri Lanka is not well known before the 16th century although some local traditions claim that Saint Thomas the Apostle was active on the island.[5] Portuguese missionaries from India, especially under the authority of Saint Francis Xavier, introduced Roman Catholicism to the Kingdom of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka.[6] The newly converted Christians were persecuted under both the king of Jaffna[6] and the Dutch.[7] During this time the Catholics regrouped to form a church a few miles north in Manthai, installing a statue of Our Lady of Good Health in a shrine.[6]

The shrine in Madhu

[edit]

The Dutch invasion in 1670 and the ensuing persecution of the Catholic Church[7] led to 20 Catholic families fleeing from Manthai, along with the statue of Mary in that church to the safer locale of Madhu.[8] About the same time another 700 Catholics migrated from the Jaffna peninsula into Wanni forests. When these two communities met in Madhu, they installed a new shrine with the statue.[6]

Expansions

[edit]

With the revival of the Catholic faith by missionaries such as Joseph Vaz, Oratorian priests expanded the small shrine in the late 17th century.[6] With the arrival of the British to the island, anti-Catholic persecution ceased, but the number of Catholics remained small with just 50,000 members in 1796.[7] In spite of such a small community, the shrine at Madhu began attracting pilgrims from all over the country.[6] The stifling of Jesuit authority which had been established in South Asia in 1773[9] eventually led to the suppression of the Society of Jesus in Madhu by 1834.[6] The building of the new church was initiated by Bishop Bonjean in 1872 and his successors built a facade, a spacious presbytery, a restful chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and a grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.[8]

Pontifical coronation

[edit]

In 1920, Bishop of Jaffna, André Jules Brault sought Pope Benedict XV's sanction for the canonical coronation of the venerated image. Bishop Brault as well as the clergy and laity had petitioned the Holy See through the Cardinal Willem Marinus van Rossum, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Cardinal Van Rossum personally presented the request to the Pope, who granted it in his audience of 7 April 1921. On 2 July 1924, the statue was officially crowned.[8]

Consecration of the church

[edit]

The church was consecrated in 1944 during World War II. In preparation for the consecration ceremony, a marble altar replaced the old wooden structure and the whole sanctuary was covered with white and blue marble. In spite of travel restrictions and difficulty finding transportation, more than 30,000 people came to the jungle shrine.[6]

The penitential tour

[edit]

The statue of Our Lady of Madhu has been taken for procession thrice to the parishes in Sri Lanka, in 1948, 1974 and 2001. The latter was as a spiritual effort to encourage Catholics in Sri Lanka to pray for peace and an end to the civil war.[8]

Feast day at Madhu

[edit]

In 1870, the new bishop arranged an annual festival to be celebrated on 2 July.[6] However, in recent years the 15 August festival has drawn the biggest crowds as it is one of the most hallowed days for Catholics, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, and it comes during school holidays when entire families can make the trip.[1]

Church amidst civil war

[edit]

Background

[edit]
Main article: Sri Lankan Civil War

The civil war on the island-nation of Sri Lanka lasted thirty years. Since 1983, there was on-and-off civil war, predominantly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a separatist militant organization who fought to establish an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the north and east of the island. It is estimated that more than 68,000 people were killed since 1983.[10]

Refugee camps

[edit]

The shrine has housed thousands of refugees since 1990.[11] In the autumn of 1999, more than 10,000 refugees took shelter in the Madhu area, which was seen as a demilitarised zone.[3]

Madhu church shelling

[edit]
Main article: Madhu church shelling
See also: Madhu school bus bombing

On November 20, 1999, the area was shelled, killing 44 people and injuring more than 60; each side blamed the other.[11][12][13] Catholic bishops called for the Madhu area to be a demilitarised zone with guaranteed security for pilgrims and the 15,000 refugees taking shelter.[11] When the violence escalated, the civilians sheltered in the premises had to flee further north; the statue itself had to be moved because of repeated shelling.[4]

In 2008, Sri lankan forces shelled on the church during the final war even though the place was well known refugee camp. [1] In 2009, the civil war ended with the government taking control.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu.
  1. ^ a b c S. J. Anthony Fernando Madhu Church ready for August festival pilgrims Archived 2007-12-17 at the Wayback Machine Daily News, Sri Lanka
  2. ^ a b Sri Lankan Monitor Archived 2007-08-02 at the Wayback Machine on British Refugee Council.
  3. ^ a b Negotiations Resume, Our Lady of Madhu is a Pilgrim of Peace on SSPX News Archive.< pp.480
  4. ^ a b Tamil Tigers appeal over shrine on BBC News.
  5. ^ Christianity in Sri Lanka on Discover Sri Lanka
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i A short account of the historical and devotional development of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Madhu on the Mannar Diocese webpage
  7. ^ a b c Ceylon on Catholic Encyclopedia.
  8. ^ a b c d Fr. S.K. Devarajah Monument of miracles on Sunday Times, Sri Lanka.
  9. ^ The Catholic Frontier in India; 16-17th century from The Free library.
  10. ^ Sri Lanka says sinks rebel boats on truce anniversaryReuters
  11. ^ a b c Madhu Shrine stands as a sign of hope amidst the fury of war on SSPX News Archive.
  12. ^ Sri Lanka, Rebels Trade Blame in Shrine Attack at Least 35 Refugees Killed in Assault on Catholic Church on November 22, 1999, Page 5A, San Jose Mercury News.
  13. ^ Dozens of Sri Lankan refugees killed in artillery attack on church on World Socialist Website.

8°51′18″N 80°12′10″E / 8.854948°N 80.202880°E / 8.854948; 80.202880

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