Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu

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.

  1. ^ a b 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. ^ Negotiations Resume, Our Lady of Madhu is a Pilgrim of Peace on SSPX News Archive.< pp.480
  4. ^ Tamil Tigers appeal over shrine on BBC News.

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