OUR MOTHER OF MADHU (SRI LANKA) - 2nd Jul

 The Shrine of Our Mother of Madhu is in Mannar district, Sri Lanka. With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics.

    In 1670, 20 Catholic families fled Mantai with the miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary amidst Dutch persecution. They had stumbled upon a forest hamlet named Maruthamadhu 

    adjoining a tank, where they had settled and were soon joined by about 700 other Catholics and seven Priests fleeing from Jaffna. Among them was a Portuguese named Helena, 

    who created a humble mud structure to house the statue. A strong community, devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary, took root at this spot. 

    The small Church gradually earned repute for possessing the power of healing drawing more devotees to seek refuge. There is a custom that the sick remains outside the Church and 

    chant their entreaties loud enough for Mary to hear them. The dust outside the little Church is a proven cure for poisonous snakebites. In 1705, 

    it was renovated by Blessed Joseph Vaz who arrived from Goa in disguise to avoid persecution from the Dutch. 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. Pope Francis visited Our Mother of Madhu Shrine during his visit to 

    Sri Lanka in January 2015.





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