On
February 8, 2014, Pope Francis received in audience at the Vatican a
group of Catholics from Sri Lanka living in Italy, on a pilgrimage to
Rome for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the consecration of
the Church of Sri Lanka to the Blessed Virgin.
Three shrines
dedicated to the Virgin Mary are important centers of pilgrimage for
Catholics in Sri Lanka: Our Lady of Madhu (northwest), Our Lady of
Matara (south) and Our Lady of Lanka (west). The shrine of Lanka was
built in thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary for protecting Sri Lanka from
invasion during World War II.
The French
archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka’s capital), Mgr Jean Marie Masson
(1938-1947), an Oblate of Mary Immaculate (OMI), had vowed in 1940 that
if the island escaped the horrors of war he would build a basilica to
the Virgin as a votive offering.
Under his
leadership, the island was dedicated to Mary, and in 1946 he received
the green light from the Vatican to build the church and dedicate it to
the Virgin Mary under the title of “Our Lady of Lanka.” In 1948, Pope
Pius XII proclaimed the Virgin of Sri Lanka protectress of the island
nation.
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