| The Shrine of Our Lady of Matara | |
|---|---|
මාතර අප ස්වාමිදුවගේ දේවස්ථානය | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
Shrine of Our Lady of Matara is a Roman Catholic church devoted to the Virgin Mary, in the town of Matara, Sri Lanka. The shrine houses a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. Though the statue's origins are unknown, church officials claim that it is 400 years old.[1] The statue has been damaged, lost and recovered more than once, most recently during the 2004 tsunami in Asia, which damaged the shrine and killed 24 people attending Sunday Mass.[2] The church celebrated its centenary year in 2007.