Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of St. Anne, Talavila

by Commodore Shemal Fernando, RSP, USP, MSc

The 245th feast of the National Shrine of St. Anne at Talavila is celebrated today. This will be the maiden feast at Talavila for the new Bishop of Chilaw, Rt. Rev. Dr. Devsritha Valence Mendis. His predecessors, late Rt. Rev. Dr. Edmond Peiris, OMI and Rt. Rev. Dr. Frank Marcus Fernando were instrumental in no small way in transforming cosy little Talavila to a great national sanctuary in Sri Lanka.

The young energetic new Administrator of the hallowed shrine, Rev. Fr. Luke Nelson Perera has launched numerous meaningful projects for the development of the shrine. Also, he has made elaborate arrangements to conduct the feast in a befitting manner drawing special attention to the spiritual needs of the pilgrims expected to throng to the sands of Talavila for the feast from all corners of the island.

No human power drew them there; neither worldly gain nor love of pleasure or profit or fame brought them there for centuries. An old fashioned church and in it a rough image of a Saint, who had lived and died even before the birth of Christianity; these have been the attractions. They have come animated by a sense of an unseen, yet real, power; they have come to worship God and honour His saint, to invoke Divine assistance and offer thanks for favours received.

In the golden sands of Talavila, the trammels of civilization and the artificial conventions of society are cast aside for plain living and simple thinking; religion begins to occupy its right place, which is the first place. The sense of Christian charity and Catholic solidarity begins to grow in the pilgrim's heart.

Humble beginning

Like all Divine works, the shrine of St. Anne at Talavila began in a small way; it developed in spite of difficulties and in hostile surroundings. Then in God's good time and against all human calculations, it sprang to fame as a rallying point of Catholic piety in Sri Lanka.

But, how did it all happen? It is against a background of small beginnings, rapid progress, severe trials and triumphs, that the history of the famous sanctuary of St. Anne at Talavila has been silhouetted by written records and authentic traditions.

History reveals that Kalpitiya and the district around it nurtured the earliest contacts between Sri Lanka and India. The landing place of Prince Vijaya is just across the lake, a few miles to the north of Puttalam and further north is Kudiramalai, Pliny's Hippuros, once a busy trade centre.

Kalpitiya itself was an important port for the trade between Sri Lanka and India and at times, the waters around Kalpitiya ran blood when contending nations fought for the control of sea routes. In 1591, Andre de Furtado de Mendonca had a fierce encounter with the famous corsair, Cutimurca off Kalpitiya, and gained a decisive victory for the Portuguese power in the East.

On the narrow tongue of land, known as the Kalpitiya peninsula lies Talavila. The country around the shrine is a waste of bleak sand, dotted over with the copses of low growth and tops of tall palmyrahs, which with their erect, sturdy trunks terminating in a tuft of broad fan-shaped leaves, stand challenging the drought and the monsoon blasts.

Around the church, however, there is a fair acreage of fully grown coconut palms, like an oasis in a desert, to gladden the pilgrim. Nature has no charms to offer here; in spite of the deep blue sea, which is hardly one hundred metres from the church; the climate is hot and enervating.

Growth of the Shrine

Christian missionary work began in the peninsula around 1606 and the Fathers of the Society of Jesus from South India were the first to preach the Gospel in these parts.

However, with the recapture of Negombo by the Dutch shortly after 1644 the Jesuit Fathers had to quit the peninsula and the Catholics were without mass or sacraments or adequate religious instructions for nearly half a century but they remained steadfast in the faith.In 1687, Venerable Fr. Joseph Vaz (now Blessed Joseph Vaz), an Indian oratorian, taking pity on the deserted flock of Christ in Sri Lanka smuggled himself into Jaffna in the guise of a labourer.

He arrived at a time when the Dutch persecution of Catholics was very bitter and when there was a price set on the head of any Catholic priest who might be found in Dutch territory.

In spite of incredible hardships, he visited, consoled and ministered to the Catholics in Jaffna and Vanni. In 1690 he came to Puttalam and the presence of a priest just across the water, could not have been long hidden from the afflicted Catholics in the peninsula.

In 1705, five new missionaries including Fr. Jacome Gonsalves arrived in Sri Lanka. But a priest was not always secure at Kalpitiya as long as the Dutch held it but in spite of the danger, the priests continued to minister the Catholics of the peninsula.

With the decline of the Sinhalese power and the gradual ascendancy of the Dutch in coastal areas, the obstacles to missionary work increased but the church progressed especially in the King's territory and the Dutch were aware of it.

On August 11, 1747 King Sri Vijaya Raja Sinha died in the prime of life and many other calamities befell the kingdom, which were generally believed to be retribution from heaven for the injustice done to Catholics. At least, so thought his successor, Kirthi Sri Rajasinha who therefore showed favour to them.

In the meantime, the relations between the Catholics and the Hollanders in the peninsula had improved to such an extent, that the priest at Kalpitiya was not only allowed to get about his work freely, but was even regarded as a friend by the Dutch.

On February 15, 1796, Colombo was surrendered to the British by the Dutch Governor and from that date Dutch rule in Sri Lanka became extinct and on May 27, 1806 all disabilities and restrictions imposed by the Dutch on the Catholics were removed. An era of freedom, at long last dawned on the church.

Origin of the shrine: There are two traditional accounts of the origin of the shrine. First one is that in the 17th century, a Portuguese traveller, in poor circumstances, trekked from Manner to Colombo to try and find a livelihood there, but failing to do so was returning by the coast, when he happened to fall asleep under a large tree which then grew at Talavila in the site of the present shrine.

Permanent church

He dreamed that he saw an image at the foot of the tree, with lighted tapers burning on each side. Waking up from his sleep he received with astonishment that the image was actually there. In his confusion at this sudden and strange realization of the dream he prayed loud and while so occupied was suddenly dazed and awestruck by the 'great awakening light'.

And St. Anne herself in bodily presence stood before him and told that the image he had seen was intended as a representation of her and that he should build a church there, and name it after her, and preserve in it the relic that had so graciously been revealed to him.

Deeply impressed with what he had witnessed the poor man set about building a small Chapel.St. Anne appeared to him again and left him some gold coins which enabled him shortly to return to his country where he raised funds for the construction of a permanent church at Talavila.

He was, however, a third time favoured with a vision of the beautiful saint, upon whose instructions he built a larger church in its place. The miraculous image now exhibited in the shrine is said to be the identical statue discovered by the Portuguese traveller in the manner narrated here.

Ship dedicated to St. Anne

The other traditional account of the origin is very popular though matter of fact. During the 18th century, an European trader was shipwrecked off the coast of Talavila. In those days, people living in the forests collected forest products such as elephant tusks, shins, horns, honey and wax and ebony and shipped off to the southern ports in sailing craft.

It was one such trading craft that came to grief off Talavila. As the vessel was dedicated to St. Anne and carried her image, the crew sought her protection and was saved. As the land offered them no shelter they looked around in distress and saw on a spot where the present church stands a large banyan tree whose cool shade seemed to beckon to them.

After reverently placing the sacred image in a hollow of the banyan tree, they rested. But, before they left, the Captain of the ship vowed to St. Anne that if his business prospered, he would revisit the spot and build a church, where he would place her image for veneration.

As there was no hope of rescuing his vessel or its cargo he went back to Galle, where he had his home and his business. Some fishing craft from Kattaikadu saw the wreckage and made for it in the hope of securing the goods afloat on the shore. The news spread and more people came to the spot, which gradually acquired the name of Kappaladi which means "the place of the shipwreck".

From the shore they strayed on to a large banyan tree, probably to assess their finds under its cool shade. And what was their wonder, to see, in a hollow of the tree, an image of St. Anne! Reports of favours granted spread all over the country and attracted many a pious Catholic.

In the meantime, the merchant from Galle prospered in business and revisited Talavila as vowed. He built a little Chapel and placed in it the venerable image and made a pilgrimage to the Chapel annually when business brought him to Kalpitiya. Some say that the banyan tree stood near a pool of water, from which the early pilgrim drank and which was later built into a well.

In 1943, by some strange coincidence, exactly a hundred years after the erection of the present church, there appeared the hull of a wrecked vessel for which the present generation has no recollection whatever. The crowds that flocked to view it, in the pious belief that it was the vessel which had once borne the image of St. Anne, testify to the persistence of the tradition.

The first repository of the venerated image of St. Anne was nature's handiwork - the hollow of a banyan tree; then man made for it a cadjan shanty and very soon replaced it with a structure of daub and wattle. As the pilgrims increased a church of brick walls and tiled roof was erected.

Religious Enthusiasm

The religious enthusiasm of the pilgrims attains it climax at the High Mass on the feast day. The joy of a good conscience and the feeling that they are about to pay the last public homage to the good Mother, St. Anne, working them up to it. As the procession returns with the miraculous statue, the Administrator of the shrine advances with Clergy, to receive it.

Then the prayer to St. Anne is recited. And the Chief Pastor of the Diocese, coped and mitred, walks up and blesses the crowd. With bowed heads or outstretched arms they receive the blessing. Then there follows a deafening clapping of hands.

The feast is now over. But before departing to their homes each one comes once more to the feet of St. Anne to take her leave. It is not without emotion one departs from the sacred spot. One needs to console oneself for the forced separation, to cherish the hope that one may have a chance again.

Then, the heart overfull of sweet consolation and the ears ringing with the haunting melody of the well-known hymn to St. Anne, "Santana Maniyene", one seizes the Pilgrim's Staff for the homeward journey, musing all along the way over the things one has seen and heard, over the devotedness of those who have watched over the spiritual and temporal welfare of the pilgrims, above all over the humanly inexplicable confidence and love St. Anne has won in Sri Lanka by her goodness to her children.

The dear old church has been the scene of God's merciful love to His beloved and His wonderful work on their behalf through the intercession of St. Anne, for a century of years. Our forefathers have knelt in it, prayed in it, and offered their supplications and thanks giving within these very walls.

Here, the Lord has regarded the prayer of His servants and their supplications. He has opened His eyes upon this house day and night, upon the place wherein He has promised His name should be called upon. "THIS IS NO OTHER BUT THE HOUSE OF GOD AND THE GATE OF HEAVEN".

(Writer expresses his gratitude to the late Most Rev. Dr. Edmund Peiris, OMI for kindly presenting him with a copy of his unique publication with permission to quote)