(May 15, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) With reference to the articles in your paper on the Madhu shrine, may I be permitted to express my independent view. We are aware how Christ answered the Pharisees saying " Give Caesar the things which are Caesar’s & God the things which are God’s’.
This is the best guidance you find in the Holy Scriptures, on the matter of finding solutions to problems of this nature. The shrine area should be free of conflict by both parties as requested by the Bishops. I may quote late Ret Rev Dr. Don Peter in his Historical Gleanings on the chapter allocated to the " Lady of the Vanni’. Traditionally the Vanni region consisted of 18 Vanniyas in the 15th century. The vanniars ruled under the authority of the Sinhalese kings but at times some of them paid allegiance to the King of Jaffna. When Sinhalese Kingdom encountered problems they enjoyed independence. The Vanni region was swallowed up by the jungle and remained so up to the time of independence from the British’.
During the time of the Portuguese, Christianity came to the island though Mannar or Mantota. It was an important port in South Asia. Trade delegations & religious delegations have come to Anuradhapura from time immemorial. The Persian Christians also could have come to Anuradhapura through the trade rout via Mantota. According to Rev. Dr. Don Peter, Franciscans arrived at Mantota and were stationed close to the coast. During the Dutch era persecution, some Catholics living in the Mantota coast migrated inland with the worship of Maria. In 1658, Rev. Joseph Vas found no Priests in Ceylon upon his arrival. Madhu was a place outside the jurisdiction of Dutch rule. Hence it was natured as a Catholic place of worship.
According to Rev. Dr. Peter in his ‘Historical Gleanings’ there were 13 Marian shrines in the Kotte Kingdom in the 15th century. One such principal shrine is found in the ruins at Jawatta cemetery at Narahenpita as it was known then. Today it is known as Narahenpita. The site is under the Dept. of Archaeology for preservation. The statue of Nossa Senhora da Livramento or Our Lady of Deliverance Statue that existed and was worshipped by the devotees of Narahenpita, Jawatta in the 15th century has been missing for nearly 400 years. It is suspected that it had been transferred to India during Veediye Bandara’s time. Now the Madhu statue is in the hands of the Bishop of Mannar under his episcopal jurisdiction.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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