Thanksgiving pilgrimage to Marian Shrine in Tewatte turns 50
Tewatte (AsiaNews/UCAN) – Farmers, fisherman and tradesman from the diocese of Chilaw went to the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Lanka to thank God for the past year and to pray that this new year may finally usher in peace. On the morning of 2 January, about 6,000 Catholics filed in procession into the National Basilica in Tewatte, just northeast of
Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo celebrated Mass. During the offertory more than 1,500 devotees offered grain, fish, fruit and poultry, books, garments, and instruments used in printing, carpentry, masonry and welding. Catholics from Chilaw have been visiting the basilica since 1957, when a group of Marian devotees, mainly small traders from Wennappuwa village, traveled on foot to offer thanksgiving and seek blessings at the beginning of the year. The village is 60 kilometers north of the capital. Over time, as the annual visits grew into a tradition, farmers and fisher folk from Chilaw joined the tradespeople. In more recent years, Catholics from other nearby dioceses also started taking part. This year, the faithful came from
W. Chrisantha Dayasiri, secretary of the committee of the Basilica in Wennappuwa, said: "Our grandfathers took two days of travel to reach the basilica to thank God. We also follow the same spirit to express gratitude… To bring our children to thank God is a real challenge for parents in this modern society, but we should teach them to learn through experience; God has blessed us and our duty is to thank him. Our grandfathers came on 1January to arrange the feast at the basilica with their families and friends.” He said it was decided to shift the thanksgiving feast to 2 January because the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Mary, Mother of God on 1 January.
In 1983, a committee was formed with 40 villagers to organize the feast at the basilica. The committee collected US,500 from its members for this year's celebration. Moreover, organizers this year decided to donate US,500 rupees for two wood carvings for the basilica wall, part of a series of 43 carvings that will depict the history of the Sri Lankan Church.
The most famous national Marian shrine is Madhu in the north, situated in territory currently controlled by the Tamil rebels. The basilica in Tewatte is also a national shrine. It was built in 1946 to thank Our Lady for sparing the island from the horrors of World War II.
.png)
