Shrine of Our Lady of Matara

Shrine of Our Lady of Matara is a church devoted to Mary, mother of Jesus, in the town of Matara, Sri Lanka. The Shrine is home of statue of Virgin Mary holding child Jesus which is reputed to be 400 years old. [http://www.stmarychmatara.org/tsuname/index.htm Miraculous Statue of Our Lady of Matara] on St. Mary's Church of Matara website.] The statue is known to have been lost many times and found again, the last of which was during the 2004 Asian Tsunami which also killed 24 people attending Sunday Mass and damaged the shrine. [ [http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=25448 'Miraculous' Marian statue seen as living miracle] on UCAN news.] The church now celebrates its centenary year. [http://www.stmarychmatara.org/centernary/history.html Down Memory Lane 1906 to 2007.] on St. Mary's Church of Matara website.]

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