Madhu Church Feast

Every August, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims travel to the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in the Mannar jungle for the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, deep in the forest of Mannar district, is the most important Catholic shrine in Sri Lanka, and its August feast is the island's biggest Christian pilgrimage.

The story of the shrine goes back to the 1600s, when Catholics from Mantai, near Mannar, fled persecution under Dutch rule. They carried a statue of the Virgin Mary into the jungle and settled where the church now stands. Over the centuries Madhu became a place of pilgrimage not only for Catholics but for people of every faith, from all over the island. Pope Francis visited the shrine in January 2015.

The main feast is the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August, preceded by nine days of novena prayers. In the days before, the area around the church turns into a huge camp. Families travel from across Sri Lanka, set up in the shrine's grounds and pilgrim halls, cook together and stay for days. On the feast day, a festive mass is followed by a procession of the statue of Our Lady of Madhu through the crowd.

Many pilgrims take home a little soil from the shrine grounds, which is traditionally believed to protect against snakebite. There is also a smaller feast in early July.

Roads to Madhu are busy around the feast and extra buses run from Mannar, Vavuniya and Colombo. Bring water, sun protection and something to sit on.

The present church was built in 1872, and in 1924 the statue of Our Lady of Madhu was formally crowned with papal approval, a canonical coronation whose centenary was marked across the Jaffna diocese in 2024. During the war, the shrine also sheltered thousands of families displaced from nearby villages, which is part of why it means so much to people across the north.

Places to stay near the shrine are basic and fill with pilgrims, so many visitors base themselves in Mannar or Vavuniya and come for the day. On the main feast day, arrive early to beat the heat and the biggest crowds, and dress modestly, covering your shoulders and knees inside the church.

At a glance

When: Usually in August
Duration: About 10 days (novena from early August, main feast on 15 August)
Venue: Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, Mannar
Organizer: Diocese of Mannar
Entry: Free