Statue of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffna patao

The statue of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffna patao

The statue of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffna Patão, is a wooden sculpture now preserved in the Church of São Pedro in Bainguinim, Goa, India.

The historical origin of the devotion to our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatão

In 1614, Friar Francisco de S. Antonio, who was the Rector of Our Lady of Victory, Jaffnapatao (Nossa Senhora da Vitória, Jafanapatão), desired a statue for the church altar. He asked a local sculptor named Annacutti to carve one from a piece of wood he had brought from Cochin. As Annacutti was carving the statue of the Virgin Mary holding her infant son, it began to be regarded as miraculous. People visited Annacutti's house to pray before the statue, with many reporting cures. Even those who prayed while holding wood shavings from the statue experienced healing through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Some who showed disrespect toward the statue reportedly faced the wrath of God. Witnessing these miracles, Annacutti was both amazed and frightened; he dared not continue and asked the friar to take the unfinished statue to the church. On 24 July 1614, the statue was taken in a public procession from the sculptor’s house to the church. As the procession passed by the royal palaces, the king and royal family appeared to witness it. The statue was then placed on an altar in the center of the church.

Due to the numerous miracles attributed to the statue, it became known as Our Lady of Miracles (புதுமை மாதா / Puthumai Matha), Jaffnapatao. People from other parts of Ceylon, as well as neighbouring regions such as Santhome and Nagapattinam, went on pilgrimages to visit Our Lady of Miracles. The statue was believed to cure the sick and disabled, win battles, and protect people from natural disasters both on land and at sea. These miracles inspired many to be baptized, including Annacutti, the sculptor of the statue, who later sought and received baptism. The foundation stone for a new church, Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao, was laid on 8 May 1614, on the Feast of the Glorious Ascension of Jesus, and it became the main church in the Kingdom of Jaffna.

During the 1620 revolt led by Migapulle Arachchi, with the help of Thanjavur Nayak and Badaga mercenaries to capture Jaffna, the wives of the Portuguese, hearing gunshots, sought shelter inside the sanctuary containing the statue of Our Lady of Miracles and prayed for her protection. Suddenly, an intense brightness filled the room, causing them to bow their heads. The imperfect, unpainted statue appeared to have its face and hands colored with vermillion, a vision that lasted for two weeks, during which the Portuguese forces defeated their enemies. Victory was achieved on 1 February 1621, and a Solemn High Mass was sung the following day. Chief Captain Filipe de Oliveira, who never went into battle without first dipping the flag to her, ordered that the flag be permanently placed in her chapel. A fortress named Our Lady of Miracles was built, establishing Jaffna as the capital of the new kingdom, and Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffna, was solemnly proclaimed the Protectress of the kingdom.

On 20 February 1627, the Saturday before the first Sunday in Lent, a great natural disaster struck Jaffna. Rain and wind continued through Sunday and Monday, and people sought refuge inside the Church of Our Lady of Miracles for protection. The sea rose dramatically, and waves battered against the walls as a ten-foot storm surge rushed inland, tearing down houses. When the wave reached the church, it split in two, leaving the building surrounded by high walls of water moving with great force. The church tiles scattered like dried leaves, and the building itself shook violently three times. As the water rose and reached the church entrance, panic ensued. The friars began to recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and one friar, along with a few devotees, reportedly saw Our Lady place her hand under the feet of the infant Jesus she held, as if to embrace him. From that moment, the waters stopped advancing, and the wind began to lose strength.

The storm's wind and waves swept vessels inland, and many buildings, including all other churches in Jaffna, were destroyed—except for the Church of Our Lady of Miracles. For the next ten days, soldiers and the clergy worked to bury the dead and care for the homeless, the sick, and the dying. On 22 March, Captain Filipe de Oliveira passed away and was buried in the main chapel of the Church of Our Lady of Miracles.

The moon adored the King and Queen of the Universe in Jaffna patão

In 1622, Easter Sunday fell on 27 March. The procession set out with the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, accompanied by the feretories of Our Lady of Miracles and St. Anthony, with all possible pomp. When the canopy of the Most Holy Sacrament began to move out of the church, the full moon, in the sight of all, deviated from its customary orbit and came down, maintaining a proportionate altitude, about six paces in front of the Most Holy Sacrament. It moved along all the streets of Jaffna, as if to accompany the King and Queen of Heaven.

At the end of the procession, when the Eucharist returned to the church, the moon returned to its place in the universe. This miraculous event, witnessed by non-Christians and new converts alike, was seen as the moon's way of adoring its Creator and confirming the faith of the neophytes. The moon participated in the procession without changing its appearance as it moved through the streets of Jaffnapatao. Upon the procession’s return to the church, it stopped above the church, like the Star of the Magi, over the house of the Virgin Mother. On that Easter morning, by the glorious intercession of the Mother of our Creator, Jaffnapatao witnessed the majesty of Christ in glory.

(Fernão de Queiroz, Manuscript, Book 4, Chapter 10, Page 558)

Documented reports of miracles

Friar Antonio learned Tamil and became fluent in the language. He petitioned the Captain and Judge of Jaffnapatao, Amator Trauasos de Zouza, requesting a judicial inquiry into the credibility of the reported miracles. The Captain documented testimonies related to these miracles, which were preserved in the archives. Friar Paulo da Trindade later obtained a copy of these witness testimonies.

Friar Paulo da Trindade, O.F.M., was the Commissary General over the Franciscans in India and Deputy of the Holy Office of Goa. His chronicle, Conquista Espiritual do Oriente, describes in detail the work of the Franciscans in India and neighboring regions. A copy of the manuscript Conquista Espiritual do Oriente is preserved in the Vatican Library under Cod. Lat. No. 7746. Chapters 46, 52, 53, and 54 of Volume III provide detailed information on the famous statue of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffnapatao.

Similar to the Mahavamsa, the chronicle of Sri Lankan history maintained by Buddhist monks, the Portuguese missionaries also kept records of Ceylon's history. Jesuit priest Fernão de Queiroz provided detailed accounts of Ceylon's history. In Volume II, Book 4 of his work, he dedicated three full chapters (chapters 8, 9, and 10) to Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffnapatão.

Persecution of Catholics and obstacles for missionary apostolate, 1500–1800 AD

The history of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffnapatao, reflects the lives of Catholics in Ceylon during that period.

The remarkable resemblance between the Anuradhapura Cross, the Bleeding Cross of St. Thomas in Chennai, and the baptismal pond near Vavuniya suggests the presence of ancient Christianity in Ceylon as early as the 5th century. The kings of the Anuradhapura Kingdom issued edicts of tolerance, allowing Christians to organize and worship freely. This was a time moving toward a Dharmista society.

However, when the Portuguese later established trading links and Catholic missionaries began evangelizing, it led to the persecution of Catholics and obstacles to evangelization until the Portuguese established their rule in Ceylon. As the Portuguese began losing territories in Ceylon to the Dutch, the Dutch intensified their persecution of Catholics and attempted to eliminate Catholicism from Ceylon.

In 1658, the Portuguese lost their last stronghold in Ceylon, the Fort of Our Lady of Miracles (Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres de Jafanapatão), to the Dutch East India Company. With the fall of Jaffna Fort, the Dutch took the Portuguese as prisoners of war. The Dutch rulers expelled all Portuguese from Ceylon, a task that previous rulers had attempted but failed to accomplish.

The Portuguese prisoners in Jaffna were subjected to ill treatment, hardship, and scrutiny by the Dutch, and many died during their voyage to Batavia and Malacca. Despite the intense scrutiny they faced, the prisoners managed to smuggle the statue of Our Lady of Miracles with them to Batavia. Even after reaching Batavia and Malacca, the prisoners continued to endure maltreatment that violated contemporary norms, including being jailed alongside native Javanese, chained, forced to perform heavy labor, and prohibited from possessing Catholic icons. Additionally, orphans and widows were compelled to attend Dutch churches, and the prisoners were not provided with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care.

In 1661, the statue of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffnapatao, was taken to Portuguese Goa in India. It was carried in a public procession to the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi and kept in one of its chapels. The statue is now preserved in the Church of São Pedro, located along the Mandovi river in Bainguinim, Goa, and Daman, India.

The Dutch ruled Ceylon for 140 years but only extended some tolerance toward Catholics near the end of their rule. During the Dutch period in Ceylon, the Catholic faith was proscribed, church properties were confiscated, and priests were banished. The Dutch issued a proclamation that made it punishable by death for anyone to harbor or provide protection to a Roman Catholic priest. Catholic schools and churches were forced to convert to Calvinism by the Dutch Reformed Church. The confiscated bells of Our Lady of Miracles, Jaffnapatao (N.S. dos Milagres de Jaffnapatao, 1648, and Nossa Senhora dos Milagres), became part of the Dutch church (Kruys Kerk) inside the fort.

Catholicism seemed to have visibly disappeared with the Portuguese. However, Catholics strengthened their faith despite being subjected to oppression, humiliation, and impoverishment by the Calvinists of the Dutch Reformed Church. Many Catholic families migrated from Jaffna and other Dutch-governed areas. Catholics from Manthai fled into the Wanni wilderness with the statue of Our Lady of Good Health, Manthai.

A daughter of a Portuguese captain named Helena built a small church to house the statue of Our Lady of Manthai, and the place became known as Silena Maruntha Madhu, which eventually evolved into the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu. Some Catholics in the south fled with the statue that is now housed in the Shrine of Our Lady of Matara. This statue arrived safely over the waves inside a wooden crate, untouched by the sea, to care for the people of Ruhunu Rata.

Yet Catholicism, considered a dying faith under Dutch colonization, experienced a remarkable revival. Underground missionaries from Goa, such as Joseph Vaz, worked in Jaffna, Kandy, and St Anne Talawila- Puttalam, laying the foundation for a national Catholic church in Ceylon. Saint Joseph Vaz was imprisoned under false accusations by Huguenots (Calvinists), who claimed he was a Portuguese spy. During his time in prison, he took the opportunity to learn the Sinhala language.

In 1693, while imprisoned in Kandy, Saint Joseph Vaz performed a miracle by bringing rain during a severe drought. In exchange, the King of Kandy released him, offered him protection, and granted him the freedom to preach the Gospel in the Kingdom of Kandy.

In a similar incident, fishermen who refused to hand over Father Antonio to Dutch pursuers expected him to prevent sea erosion. Father Antonio planted a cross at the location most threatened by the sea waves, and on the third day, the waves receded, revealing a protective sandbank. Witnessing this miracle, the Dutch allowed Father Antonio to stay there and built a church that is now known as St Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade.

In 1544, Saint Francis Xavier baptized over 10,000 people in 13 villages along the Travancore coast, giving each a Portuguese name written in Tamil. He learned to teach prayers such as the Nicene Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, and Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) in Tamil. In the same year, while St. Francis Xavier was in Punnaikayal, South India, a delegation from villages like Careapatao in Patim and Mannar came to express their interest in becoming Catholics and invited him to Mannar. The saint could not go himself, so he sent a cleric, also named Francis Xavier, who zealously preached the faith and successfully baptized the people in the villages of Patim.

The Island of Mannar was under Jaffna, and the king’s brother, the rightful heir to the Jaffna kingdom, lived in exile, fearing his brother’s cruelty. He and his leading men wished to become Christians and sought Portuguese help to regain his throne. Opponents of the new faith instilled fear and warned King Cankili I (Sekarasasekaran/Sankili I) that unless he took prompt action against the converts in Mannar, he would soon lose his kingdom to the Portuguese. Losing Mannar's strategic location would create economic and security risks for Jaffna.

Sangili I vowed not to leave any Catholic converts alive, recruiting about 5,000 men and personally leading a military contingent to Mannar. He issued an edict: "Renounce Christianity or die," and ordered a horrific slaughter executed with great cruelty, with no distinction made between age, gender, or status. Children cried out as their mothers tried to hide them from seeing their companions beheaded. There was no resistance, and the new converts, inspired by the power of faith, offered their throats to the executioners. Cleric Francis Xavier, along with IIam Singha (Uracinga), a governor or tributary prince of Mannar, and others serving the Jaffna King, bravely confessed their Catholic faith and were put to the sword. Between 600 and 700 people were martyred, and the Massacre of the Manarese is believed to have occurred between October and December 1544.

In 1548, St. Francis Xavier landed in Mannar and kissed the ground where Catholics had been martyred. He then went to Jaffna and asked King Sankili I to stop harming and harassing Catholics. However, St. Francis Xavier could not trust Sankili I, and as he was leaving Jaffna on his way to Galle, he lamented, "Unhappy island, how many dead bodies will cover your shores, and with how much blood will you be inundated?" Those who fled to the mainland in 1544 began returning to Patim in 1561, and the Catholic community flourished until the Dutch began persecuting them. The Dutch conquered Mannar Fort in 1658, prompting missionaries and Catholic families to flee as refugees to Jaffna.

Historical documents mention Patim (Patti/Paddi) as the place of martyrdom. The missionary Henrique Henriques (Anrique Anriquez), who compiled Tamil Christian doctrine, served as the parish priest in Mannar from 1561 to 1564. In a letter written from Mannar in 1561, he noted that Patim village was half a league from Mannar Fort.

In July 1945, Rev. Dr. P.A.J.B. Antoninus and his team used ancient maps for excavation and succeeded in locating the Patim site, known to local residents as Paddi Taravai, located at the second milepost, half a mile west of the Fort–Talaimannar road. Further excavation by Fr. Antoninus’s team revealed the church altar and several skeletons, including those of children, lying in various directions. Some heads were found separated from their bodies, and parts of the bones on the edges showed a reddish color. Earlier, in 1924, Frs. Delandes and Stanislaus conducted excavations at Thoddaverly, leading to the belief that Thoddaverly was the burial place of Catholic martyrs. They subsequently built a church in honor of the Queen of Martyrs in Mannar.

In 1543–1544, when Governor Martim Afonso de Sousa was near the island with a powerful fleet, Sankili I agreed to Portuguese conditions for peace; however, he indirectly continued to harm Catholics and Portuguese interests. In the south, Veediya Bandara (Weedeya Raja), the son-in-law of King Bhuvanekabahu VII, tortured and executed Catholics and missionaries, burning their houses and churches. Missionaries were forced to hide in the jungles for protection. Veediya Bandara then fled north and joined King Sankili I in an effort to eliminate Catholicism and Portuguese influence from the island.

Friar Belchoir de Lisboa and four of his companions were the first friars to preach the faith in Jaffnapatao, and they were martyred. While the friar was being tortured, the king asked him why he wept, and the friar replied that he was saddened by the misery of a king who chose to remain a slave to the devil.

The 1560 expedition led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Braganza to subdue Sankili I failed; however, fearing a more powerful expedition, Sankili I agreed to all the Portuguese conditions. One of the articles of the treaty stipulated that no impediment should be placed on those who wished to embrace Christianity.

St. Francis Xavier met with King Bhuvanekabahu VII of Kotte in Sri Lanka and later with King Jayaweera of Kandy, asking them to allow missionary work. However, the kings were more interested in securing a Portuguese garrison for protection than in spreading the Gospel or protecting Catholics. There were Catholic communities along the west coast, from Jaffna to Welligama, and on the east coast in places like Trincomalee. King Bhuvanekabahu VII told St. Francis Xavier that if he were to get baptized, the people would rebel against him; for this reason, he could not grant the Franciscans much freedom to preach the Gospel to his subjects. However, he assured the saint that he would cease to obstruct the Franciscans if the Viceroy would protect both him and his kingdom.

The Moors, whose support Mayadunne depended on, sought to take over the entire island, while the Portuguese were primarily interested in trade and breaking the Moors' trade monopoly. King Bhuvanekabahu's strategy was to use the Portuguese against Mayadunne of Sitawaka and his Moorish allies for his own protection, ensuring that neither faction would take control of his kingdom.

On one occasion, a sorcerer advised King Bhuvanekabahu to eliminate all the Franciscans. Fr. John de Villa Conde, who was residing in the palace and teaching the king’s grandson, offered to demonstrate the truth of the Catholic faith. He requested that a large pile of wood be set on fire in the palace courtyard. He then walked into the pyre and, standing amidst the flames, challenged the sorcerer to follow him. The sorcerer hesitated, but the king had him seized and thrown into the fire, from which he emerged burned while the flames did not even touch the friar’s clothing. Though the king revered the friar, he still refused to grant the Franciscans greater freedom in exercising their apostolate.

King Bhuvanekabahu's grandson, King Dharmapala of Kotte, ultimately had the courage to be baptized and ruled as a Catholic king.

The history of Sri Lanka spans over two thousand years of monarchical rule. During the period of Portuguese Ceylon, some members of the royal families of Kandy, Kotte, and Jaffna embraced the new faith through baptism. Some of those baptized escaped to avoid persecution, while others were martyred. Prince Jugo, the eldest son of King Bhuvanekabahu VII, was killed by his father for wanting to become a Christian. Following his death, people reported seeing a "cross of fire" in the sky, and at the spot where he was killed, the earth opened in the shape of a cross. These signs inspired many to convert to the new faith.

King Cankili II (Sankili Kumaran/Sankili II) sought the help of the Dutch, Moors, and Thanjavur to defeat the Portuguese but ultimately failed. In 1619, after his defeat, Sankili II was captured and taken to Goa for trial. While in prison, he called for the Superior of the Franciscan Fathers. Sankili told the priest that he had learned about the Christian faith and had great veneration for Fr. Peter of Betancourt, but he hesitated to be baptized due to his ambition to rule and fear of his people. King Sankili II expressed his desire to save his soul, stating that it was better to be a Catholic coolie than a pagan king. He was baptized as Don Philip.

He spent his final days in sincere repentance for the atrocities he had committed, with his eyes fixed on the Crucifix. His wife, along with King Sankili’s brother and sister, devoted their lives to charitable work in Goa. The last prince of the Jaffna throne was young Dom Constantino, and the Portuguese intended to restore him to the throne when he reached the age of majority. However, Prince Don Constantino chose a monastic life as a Franciscan friar, taking the name Constantine of Christ.

400-year devotion to Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao

Once, during the feast of Our Lady, Captain Major Phillippe de Oliveira suggested that the statue of Our Lady of Miracles be carried in procession. A priest, respecting his wishes, prostrated before Our Lady and said in a loud voice, "My Lady, punish not my boldness, but cast thy eyes on the devotion with which thy devout Captain and these people wish to put thee in possession of this kingdom of which thou art the Patroness and Refuge." He then kissed the feet of the statue. When he placed his hand on the statue and lifted it from the niche, he felt no weight.

In astonishment, the priest turned to the people who were on their knees and said, "Praise God, gentlemen, in the most sacred Virgin, for she carries herself!" He then placed the statue on the feretory. This priest later affirmed to everyone that he felt no weight and that it felt as light as a feather in his hand.

This miracle was confirmed again when restoring the statue to its niche. In the presence of the people, the priest said, "Let us go, my Queen and my Lady, to thy niche place." As he reached to lift the statue from the stand, Our Lady rose by herself and placed herself in his hands, leaving everyone amazed at this miracle. The people thanked and praised God and Our Lady of Miracles, noting the joy observed on her face during the procession. In this way, she demonstrated her acceptance as the Patroness of the Jaffna Kingdom.

From 1614 to 1658, while the statue was in Jaffna, the devotees daily praised Our Lady of Miracles by singing hymns, including the versicle and oration "O Gloriosa Domina" in the morning, "Ave Maris Stella" in the afternoon, and at night chanting litanies that began with the verse "Tota Pulchra es Maria."

One Christmas night, as they sang the hymn "Te Deum" and reached the verse "Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum," all those present reported seeing the statue of Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao appear beautiful and resplendent, with her entire face lit up with joy. Every year on her feast day, the statue, adorned with precious jewels, was taken in a procession through the streets of the town.

Devotion to Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao resumed in 1661 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Goa, and continues annually at the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Piedade in Goa, India. By the Rivers of Mandovi, devotees pray to Our Lady of Jaffnapatao, asking that the words of their mouths and the meditations of their hearts be pleasing to the Prince of Peace.

Some scholars, based on written records and authentic traditions, believe that the devotional relationship between the people of Indo-Ceylon and the Virgin Mary began with the rising of the Star of Bethlehem. Historian João de Barros mentioned that a king of the island of Ceilam was one of the three kings, the Biblical Magi, who went to Bethlehem to worship the King of the Jews and that he returned with a portrait of the Virgin Mary (de Barros, Decade III, Book VII, Chapter XI). The Nestorian Cross, discovered in Anuradhapura in 1912, proves the presence of Nestorian Christians in Sri Lanka from early times, coupled with the traditional legend that Apostle Thomas preached from the hillock where the present St. Thomas Church in Gintupitiya stands. The sixth-century traveler Cosmas Indicopleustes noted, “Even in Taprobane, where the Indian Sea is, there is a church of Christians with clergy and a body of believers” (Christian Topography, Book III, pages 118-119). Devotees at San Thome Basilica in Chennai and the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni Town, both in Tamil Nadu, India, were miraculously saved from the 2004 tsunami waves. According to legend, St. Thomas the Apostle planted a wooden post (the St. Thomas Miraculous Post) at the top of the steps leading to San Thome Basilica and declared that the sea would not pass that point.

Currently, the Novena to Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao begins nine days before her feast. Each day, the statue is moved from São Pedro Church to the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Piedade (Our Lady of Pity) for the Novena. The feast of Our Lady of Miracles Jaffnapatao is celebrated on the first Sunday of May.

References

Other references

• Trinidade, Paulo da, chapters 1 to 56 of vol. III of Conquista Espiritual do Oriente, translated by E. Peiris and A. Meersman as Chapters on the Introduction of Christianity to Ceylon. Chilaw, 1972
• Fernão de Queiroz. A Conquista Temporal e Espirtual de Ceilão.

(The Temporal & Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon). Vol. II, Book 4, Chapters 8, 9 & 10.

• History of Ceylon. An Abridged translation of Professor Peter Courtenay's work. By M.G. Francis
• George Schurhammer" Ceylon zur Zeit des Konigs Bhuvaneka Bahu und Frans Xavers " 1539–1552

• The Martyrs of Mannar (From Authentic Documents). Father A.J.B Antoninus, O.M.I. General Publishers Ltd. 20 Parson's Road, Fort, Colombo.

External links

• Ceylon Today. Lost & found. The story of a sacred image Archived October 7, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
• The Messenger: Where is this miraculous image? Page 7
• Notes on Jaffna. John H. Martyn. Pages 138-141
• H.P.I.P. Our Lady of Pity (Piedade), Panelim: Religious Architecture
• Chapters on the introduction of Christianity to Ceylon: taken from the Conquista [e]spiritual do Oriente of Friar Paulo da Trinidade [sic] O.F.M.
• History of Ceylon. An Abridged translation of Professor Peter Courtenay's work. By M.G. Francis. Page 285