LIFE's video: The Annual Feast of Our Lady of Madhu - 2022

July Feast of Our Lady of Madhu -23 july 2022 මන්නාරම මරඳ මඩු Faithful lament not being able to set up camp at one of the oldest Christian places of worship in Sri Lanka. කන්ති මරියනි! ජපමාල මාතාවනි! ජේසු ස්වාමීන් ඉදිරියේ අප උදෙසා යාච්ඤා කළ මැනව.. අප ස්වාමිදුගේ මඩු මංගල්‍යය පෙරහැර You are prayerfully invited to BLESSINGS FROM OUR LADY OF MADHU මීගමුව කලාපීය මරුද මඩු මංගල්ලය The Annual Feast of Our Lady of Madhu Date : Saturday , 02 July 2022 Daily Masses are held in both Tamil (6am) and Sinhala (6.45am) on weekdays During the weekends, Mass will be held at 11.15am in both Tamil and Sinhala Long considered to be the holiest place of Roman Catholic worship in Sri Lanka, the Shrine of Our Lady of Rosary in Madhu is a beacon of hope and faith. All year long Mother Mary’s life is celebrated here but the grandest celebration of all is held in August, which coincides with the Feast of Mother Mary’s Assumption to heaven. With the flag hoisting starts the nine-day preparatory period before the Feast of Our Lady of Madhu. Situated in Mannar, one can reach the holy premises via the secluded road stretching through the Madhu Sanctuary. Blue flags flutter high in the wind and adorn the church precincts, almost blending with the skyline. The miraculous statue of Mother Mary holding the infant Jesus at its altar has an intriguing history and much of its past has been lost with time. According to the annals of history, a woman named Helena is said to have been instrumental in building the first shrine in Madhu. A time-honoured tradition, camping in the church grounds is a ritual of the Madhu pilgrimage. Some set up makeshift tents while others will reside in small houses, which is an alternative to camping. The benevolent statue of Our Lady of Madhu, has for years offered solace, blessings and refuge to the ones who come to experience her divine presence. For its islandwide flock, this shrine nested amidst a dense jungle, is the ultimate safe haven. Even after the annual feast concludes, crowds gather in throngs all year round seeking the holy mother’s blessings. Every August the tranquil town of Madhu witnesses the arrival of thousands and thousands of devotees of all faiths, from across the island. A sense of buoyant joy as well as spirituality resonates within the sanctum during the Grand Feast of Madhu. In 2015, his Holiness Pope Francis set foot on this hallowed soil which is revered by many as the dwelling place of divine presence. Pope Francis also opened the Blessed Sacrament Chapel during his holiness’s visit. Annual Feast of Our Lady of Madu Live, සතියේ දින දිව්‍ය පූජාව, Madhu Shrine, Diocese of Mannar, Feast At Madhu shrine, ඉටි පහන් පෙරහැර, ලූර්දු ගුහාව, Madhu Feast, මරුද මඩු මැණියනි, ආවේ මරියා, தமிழ் கத்தோலிக்க ஆன்மிகப்பணியகம் நெதர்லாந்து The flag hoisting on August 6 starts the nine day preparatory period before the Feast of Our Lady of Madhu on August 15. It is for the Feast of the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, a miraculous Marian statue in the jungle. The statue depicting Mother Mary holding the Infant Jesus is centuries old and believed to have healing powers. All year long Mother Mary’s life is celebrated here. Yet, the grandest feast on August 15 coincides with the Feast of Mother Mary’s Assumption to heaven, or The Assumption. The church flagpole will be hoisted on August 6, a symbolic gesture announcing the beginning of the nine day preparatory period before the feast. This includes novenas and prayer services that will echo on the grounds morning, noon and night. The festive High Mass officiated by the Archbishop of Colombo, along with seven other Bishops, is held in the outdoor pavilion. Worshippers will take part in the service with great reverence. After Mass the statue of Our Lady of Madhu is paraded around the church premises. The faithful will chant pleas and light candles, requesting her intervention for their intentions to God. This month as in all years, devotees will throng the peaceful church grounds in the thousands. Camping is inherently part of the Madhu pilgrimage for many. In a tradition passed down the generations, some families from the fishing communities along the West coast travel here by boat. Arriving weeks in advance, they set up camp here in makeshift tents and prepare for the ten day festival: a practice reminiscent of the origins of the shrine. the Madhu pilgrimage too is an important one. Even after the grand feast concludes, many will continue to travel to the grounds this month seeking the Holy Mother’s grace and to obtain blessings. මඩු දේවස්ථානයේ වාර්ෂික මංගල්‍යය බොහෝ බැතිමතුන්ගේ සහභාගිත්වයෙන් මඩු දේවස්ථානයේ වාර්ෂික මංගල්‍යය ජුනි 23 වැනි දින සිට පුරා දින 09ක් පැවැත් විය. මන්නාරම රදගුරු ආචාර්ය අතිඋතුම් ඉම්මානුවල් ප්‍රනාන්දු හිමිපාණන් සහ යාපනය රදගුරු අතිඋතුම් ජස්ටින් බර්නාඩි හිමිපාණන් විසින් දේව මෙහෙය පැවැත්වුවා. බොහෝ ප්‍රදේශවලින් පැමිණි ජනතාව මඩු මංගල්‍යයට එක් වී සිටියා.