News

Madhu festival sans Our Lady

Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph has declared that the sacred Madhu statue cannot be returned to the original place in the newly liberated area ahead of the annual feast next month.

Two months after the Madhu Shrine area in Mannar was liberated by the security forces, Bishop Joseph says he has still not got clearance from the security forces to visit the area and says it is time for the devotees to be allowed back into their Church.

“I have sought permission from the security forces to go there, stay there and clean up the area. Unless both parties declare a no war zone around the area, I will be unable to bring the Madhu Statue of Our Lady to the church by August 15 – the day of the feast,” the Bishop said.

He said the Army has given an assurance that the forces would keep two and a half kilometres away from the Madhu shrine but he has so far had no such assurance from the LTTE but is waiting to meet and talk to the Tigers soon after he is granted an appointment by them,” he said.

The Bishop has been informed by the Army that there is no military presence inside the Church compound. Nearly 40,000 people in the Madhu area have been displaced and they have been pushed further into the LTTE-controlled area.

“Only after the Army cleared the Madhu area my Vicar General Father Victor Soosai visited there once and he could only spend very little time. Since then nobody was allowed to enter the area. We have to do a lot of work before celebrating the Feast of Our Lady. The forces have taken over the Madhu shrine area and now they have to hand it over to us,” the Bishop said.

He added that he would be meeting with the Wanni security forces commander next week to put forward the suggestions of the Church. “Meanwhile the normal Mass will be held on August 15 to mark Our Lady’s feast at St. Xavier’s Church at Palampiddi where the statue is now. Also we are celebrating the feast in all the parishes in the Mannar diocese. . Only one of the seven parishes are functioning in Madhu currently,” he said.

 
Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]

 

Other News Articles
AG takes over vital bribery cases
Ananda hit by further scandal
Biggest diplomatic reshuffle
Mobile phones: You must carry certificate with you
Bulk of SAARC budget for police
Karuna and Pillayan in 5-hour talks
Duminda case: OIC ordered to explain
UNP a way of life and an education says Ranil
Visa guidelines to check errant UN staffers here
Old boy says Trinity got disputed land from Missionary Trust
Sellers seek more for Rs. 20 lottery
Lawyers call on govt. to restore rule of law
UNP: Police chief mum on security for Janaka
Daytime robber intimidates neighbours
Police deny putting pressure on Colombo lodges
Rhino horn smuggler does it again inspite of warning
School buses to solve traffic chaos: NTC chairman
President in Tirupathi says all Sri Lankans are brothers
Tissa’s case: ‘No citizen is safe from arbitrary detention’
Bishop queries continued detention of journalist
July 10: The flick, flop and the fallout
Kalmunai killings: More questions than answers
Hopes of happy retirement end in tragedy
Bus driver’s bravery averted bigger disaster
Odds and Ends
Tigers losing credibility with civilian attacks
UNP’s Batti chief says grenade was thrown by unknown motorcyclists
PM, not Musharraf, for SAARC
Madhu festival sans Our Lady
Stassen’s – Milford directors sue Harry J.

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2008 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution