The twenty-five-year-old bitter fighting between the Sri Lankan Government
(predominately Sinhalese) and the separatist movement of the Tamil
Tigers came to an end in May of 2009. The bloody conflict and
civil war killed an estimated seventy-thousand people, many of them of the Catholic Faith.
The end of the civil war seems to signal the revival of the most
celebrated shrines in Sri Lanka, namely that of Our Lady of Mahdu Matha,
or Mother of Mahdu. Mahdu is a village 185 miles from the capital
of Colombo--situated in the Northern region of the island of Sri Lanka. It harbors the miraculous image of Our Lady of Mahdu, believed to be as
old as the beginnings of the Sri Lankan evangelization by Franciscan
missionaries (Juan de Villa de Conde, 1543). The crowned and
sumptuously clad statue (61 cm.) adorned with the crescent moon symbol of
the Immaculata, features traits reminiscent of Guadalupe.
Originally located in the imposing Sanctuary of Mantai, center of
the flourishing Christian community of Mantote, it was hidden during the
Dutch (Protestant) persecution (Spanish-Dutch War of 1638-1658) in the
wild jungle east of Mantai, in the region of what is now Mahdu.
Image and pilgrimage experienced a long period of spiritual importance
following famine and 'black death' (cholera) decimating the Sri Lankan
population in 1868-78. The first annual feast day was celebrated on
July 2, 1870. The present Basilica Church--construction began in
1872!--was consecrated in 1944. The crowning of the image took
place on July 2, 1924. The Sanctuary is flanked by an artificial
lake allowing for daily ablutions to up to one hundred thousand pilgrims and natives.
Our Lady of Mahdu--the statue was moved from the front lines during the
last phase of the civil war--is renowned for its protective power not
only in times of war, famine, and epidemic, but also in cases of snake
bites, purportedly by preventing them.
Venerated as the "Queen of Snakes" in a region infested by up to thirty
different species of snakes, Our Lady is said to protect pilgrims
against the dangers of the snakes' deadly poison. Tradition
attributes a special healing quality and power to the soil of Mahdu--still another favor granted through the intercession of Our Lady.
As for many other origins of Marian images, it is said that the statue
of Our Lady of Mahdu was rediscovered in 1670, miraculously hidden in the trunk of a tree.
Maybe one of the most astounding characteristics of this Marian icon is
its ecumenical appeal and outreach. Only about 7% of the Sri
Lankan population, Sinhalese and Tamil, is Catholic, but the shrine
attracts also Buddhist Sinhalese and predominately Hindu Tamils.
The celebration of Assumption on August 15, 2009 drew, according to some
news sources, up to five hundred thousand pilgrims bringing together Catholics,
Buddhists and Hindus--Tamils as well as Sinhalese. This may be
the most important miracle yet that we owe to Our Lady of Mahdu's
intercession: that this venerated image of Mary can bring together all Sri Lankans.