The Catholic shrine in the isle of Velanai-by Dishan Joseph

The main altar of the shrine

Source:Dailynews

Sri Lanka is blessed with many cathedrals and churches. Today we discover a spiritual gem that has existed for more than four centuries in the island of Velanai, off the coast of the Jaffna peninsula. Having journeyed from Colombo, I met up with two friends Rev. Fr. Michael Prabhu and Rev. Fr. Jebathasan. They were keen to show me an ancient church where the power of God manifested miracles to those who had the resolute faith to believe and receive.

Front view of the church.

We drove past the Mandaithivu area and Alaipiddy. The road was void of traffic except for a few motorcycles. Leading to Mandaithivu there were clusters of fishermen mending their nets as marine birds flew aimlessly above the placid waters. As we drove towards the Chaddy Beach area, a few boats were visible as the sun shone brightly. As the van turned from the main road, the landscape changed to dense foliage, almost like a jungle. Suddenly I could make out the image of a cross rising out of this thicket of trees. The Shrine of our Lady of Good Voyage is one of the most beautiful churches in Sri Lanka. Her charm is accentuated by the fact that the shrine nestles in brilliant solitude. One cannot imagine a shrine in a remote isle as Velanai and I am reminded of the Latin phrase – Ego Sum Lux Mundi (where Jesus says I am the Light of the World). Behold a shrine delivering spiritual illumination to a community.

The incumbent administrator Rev. Fr. Jegankumar Coonghe invited us to his office. We had a refreshing glass of lime juice. Rev. Fr. Coonghe explained, “The origin of its existence dates back to the Portuguese regime and it is considered to be one of the oldest churches in the North. According to oral tradition, a Portuguese merchant vessel was caught in a deadly storm in the Indian Ocean and lost its direction and was sinking. The captain, an ardent believer of the Blessed Virgin Mary prayed for rescue. Miraculously the distraught ship landed safely on the shore of the Chaddy area without any damage.

In gratitude for the miraculous act of Mother Mary, the captain built a place of worship: a thatched shed at the seashore and placed the miraculous statue of Blessed Mother Mary which was on board and venerated her with devotion, and also propagated her devotion to the inhabitants.

Our Lady of Good Voyage.

Our Lady of Good Voyage performed many miracles and many were attracted from the neighbouring villages and invoked her blessings. Thereafter many embraced Christianity. Portuguese Missionaries came to Ceylon in 1544 to propagate Christianity and built a few churches in the peninsula and the church built at Chaddy was dedicated to our Lady of Good Voyage.

After the Dutch invasion, they persecuted the Catholics and destroyed their places of worship. It is believed that the faithful of the area had safely removed this miraculous statue of our Blessed Mother in the silent hours of the night and concealed it. After a long period of abandonment on a devotee’s information, they found this miraculous statue inside a well. Promptly the faithful of the area built a cadjan shelter near the well and placed this statue and venerated it. The huge well in which the statue was found never goes dry and provides drinking water to the whole island during periods of drought.

Many people from all parts of the island of different faiths paid homage to our Blessed Mother and sought her intercessions in times of sickness, famine, and war. With the number of pilgrims increasing the little hamlet took the shape of a church and to this day it has turned to be a rewarding pilgrim complex with the conducive environment that enables the pilgrims to pray and relax. This shrine served as a place of prayer and refuge for the displaced during the war.

This miraculous shrine was declared as a pilgrim shrine by his Lordship the Bishop of Jaffna Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundranayagam. The feast of our Lady of Good Voyage is celebrated annually in the month of September in a colourful jubilant atmosphere. To facilitate more clergy of the diocese to participate at the annual gazetted feast of Our Lady of Good Voyage, the feast is celebrated on the third Saturday of September. Our Lady of Good Voyage is respectfully known in Tamil as ‘Sinthathirai Maatha’ for she is accepted as the patroness and protector of navigators.

Perhaps this is why the shrine is painted in shades of blue to depict the infinite ocean. The statue depicts the Blessed Mother cradling the child Jesus in one hand and gripping a ship on the other. Rev. Fr. Coonghe invited us to walk inside. The miraculous statue which was treasured for centuries can be seen majestically adorned in gold and placed on a beautifully designed wooden altar inside the newly renovated church. The main altar augments the aura of radiance. The interior lacks other ornate adornments, but the simplicity brings out the fact that all materialism on earth is temporary. It also reminds the Christian that only God can fill the void in every human.

Rev. Fr. Michael, Rev. Fr. Jegan and Rev. Fr. Jebathasan.

It is recorded that in 1928 a new building was built replacing the old church. The sprawling gardens offer the perfect venue to reflect and meditate. The Stations of the Cross have been thoughtfully placed to blend with the trees. The gentle chirping of tropical birds is a delightful sound throughout this shrine. I was reminded of a quote from Saint Augustine: “And He departed from our sight, that we may return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed and behold He is here.”

Jesus Christ can be truly found in the undistracted silence of our hearts and minds. Shrines like this are a testament to the dedication and faith of those pioneer clergymen who willingly gave their whole lives for the spiritual betterment of others. This can be summed up in Latin – Ad Maiorem Dei Glorium (For the greater glory of God).

The Shrine of our Lady of Good Voyage is a vibrant spiritual oasis in the Northern Province. It is a must visit shrine for those seeking to understand the higher purpose in life. Our lives must mirror our faith in Christ. I conclude with a quote from Saint Francis of Assisi: “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”