Madha Church Mannar

The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Tamileelam . With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for pilgrimage and worship for Tamileelam Catholics. The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island and is a well known place of devotion for both Tamil and Sinhalese Catholics.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 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. 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. It was shelled a number of times. District : Northern Provice,Mannar Location : Tamil Eelam The shrine in Madhu : The Dutch invasion and the persecution of the Catholic Church in 1670, led to 20 Catholic families fleeing from Mantai, along with the statue of Mary in that church to a safer locale of Madhu. 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.

District: Mannar

Weather:31 - 30

Category: CHURCHES

Quick Details

31 - 30

MAP LOCATION