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This historic shrine of Our Lady of Remedies situated in the village called Sillalai in the Jaffna diocese, is considered to be the oldest church in the North and is over 400 years old.

History records that in the year 1544 the Portuguese missionaries came to Jaffna to propagate Christianity and built few churches in the peninsula. One of the churches built by the missionaries was at Pandateruppu. They dedicated this church to our Blessed Virgin Mary and presented a miraculous and beautiful statue of Our Blessed Virgin Mary brought from Portugal and venerated her with much piety and devotion.

It is believed that during the Dutch persecution of the Catholics, this miraculous statue was removed from the shrine fearing it could be destroyed. During the dark hours of the night the Sillalai Catholics took this statue from the Shrine and kept it in wells and protected it. In due course the devotees increased in numbers and erected cadjan shelter at Sillalai. They placed the statue of Our Blessed Lady of Remedies in it and venerated her.

In 1687 Blessed Joseph Vaz came from India in a boat to preach and promote Christianity and landed on the coast near Sillalai. It is said that Joseph Vaz lived in Sillalai for over three years in disguise as this village was considered to be the safest place in Jaffna. The majority of Sillalai inhabitants are predominantly Catholics and farmers.

They harboured him. They listened to his teaching and participated in the offering of Holy Mass and other sacraments conducted in secret in their cadjan dwellings and sustained their faith in Christ. During this time, the cholera epidemic raged this village and Blessed Joseph Vaz was seriously afflicted. By his special prayers and devotions to our Lady of Remedies, he and the villagers were miraculously cured.

This act of mercy prompted him to call our Blessed Mother Mary "Our Lady of Good Health" and in Tamil "Marunthu Matha". It is believed that even the emergence of many prominent native physicians in Sillalai is an act of grace and gift from the miraculous "Marunthu Matha" to the island.

Our Lady of remedies is also popularly known in Tamil as "Kathirai Matha" and "Kathirai Chelvee," This name came into existence because of the statue portrait our Blessed Mother Mary seated on a chair having child Jesus on her lap.

Sillalai more popularly known as Little Rome among the faithful in the North. This is most deserving since Joseph Vaz, who will be in due course canonised as the first Saint of Sri Lanka was harboured and protected by Sillalai Catholics during the Dutch persecution. Many children of this soil were gifted to become bishops, priests and nuns to serve in the vineyard here and abroad.

The feast of Assumption of our Blessed Mary and the church feast of Kathirai Chelvee are celebrated annually in Sillalai on August 15 in a most fitting atmosphere. All the parish families and devotees from other villages join in the nine days novena and vespers and on the tenth day, Festive High Mass is offered with solemnity. After mass the statue of Our Blessed Mother Many is placed on a gaily decorated chariot and taken in a colourful procession round the church. Tamil Veerutham is sung by the devotees. The feast ends with the final act of prayer, most touching filled with gratitude and love and making it the biggest festival of the parish.

During the feast the devotees flock to this shrine from all over the peninsula to thank and praise the glory of Our Blessed Mother for the numerous favours and blessings received through her intercession and invoke her protection and guidance for their young and old.

The Sillalai devotees even though they are in the midst of a war and are displaced, never failed to pay their devotion and homage to Kathirai Chelvee. For the past few years on every August 15, the displaced who are in Colombo and around continue to celebrate their church feast of Kathirai Chelvee, every year in Colombo, as gratitude for the graces and protection received.

This year too the Festive High Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Jude Wilson, Fr. Justin Chawhan and Fr. Emil Anthonipillai, all sons of Little Rome, at 8 a.m. on August 15 at Jesuit Chapel, 33, Clifford Place, Bambalapitiya, followed by fellowship and breakfast.

The Sillalai people who lived in Our Lady of Remedies faith and refuge but now scattered and live in other parts of the world continue to spread the good news and propagate the devotion to Kathirai Chelvee. - S. B. David

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