Several experts in Europe have pronounced to the Portuguese type of sculpture of the beginning of the 17 th century. Mystery
This statue has a story intertwined with the sea. Legend tells us that a huge wooden-crate was hauled out of the sea by some fishermen of Weligama, a town between Galle and Matara in Sri Lanka. When it was opened, this beautiful statue of the Mother and child was found ins
ide, untouched by the sea water. They handed it over to the Parish Priest of Matara and it was subsequently placed in St. The statue has come on its own, over the waves and given itself to the care of the Catholics of Ruhunu Rata which is the down south of Sri-Lanka. Cholera epidemic
It gained its miraculous nature through an incident which occurred few years later. At a later period during a cholera epidemic which raged through the District and claimed hundreds of lives, the Catholics rallied round this statue and prayed to be delivered from the terrible disease. The statue was taken in a solemn procession through the streets of Matara. Even non-Catholics participated in this procession. After a few days the area was declared safe by the health authorities. There were no fresh cases and no further deaths reported.
