Celebrating this noble occasion, next Saturday, August 29th at 6pm, His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso will bless the devotees with the ancient statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which depicts Her trampling the infernal serpent under Her feet.

On the evening of Saturday, August 11th, 2018, amidst a massive gathering of people who poured in from all four corners of the island, His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso blessed the Apparition Church and entrusted it to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This was done because of the direct request made by the Blessed Virgin Mary Herself at the site of Her apparition in Katunayake, Sri Lanka, where She said: “My beloved child, build a small church in My name at this place. It is My noble desire.” It was precisely because She expressed that doing so was Her noble desire.

Accordingly, the 8th anniversary of entrusting the renovated Apparition Church into the hands of our beloved Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated next Saturday, August 29th at 6pm, presided over by His Holiness The Apostle, who personally heard the request of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As the newly consecrated Apparition Church completes eight years, it must be specially mentioned that the Blessed Virgin Mary has also emanated the fragrance of jasmine eight times from Her statue enshrined within this Apparition Church.

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On May 11th, 1976, Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso and said, “My dear child, build a small church in my name at this place. That is my noble desire.” Upon hearing this message, His Holiness The Apostle made Blessed Mother Mary’s desire His own. Using His own personal wealth, He hurriedly began the work of converting the home He had inherited from His parents the very house where He was born and raised into a church. As a result, on the morning of December 6th, 1976, the Church Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, Katunayake, Sri Lanka was consecrated by the hands of His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso. The Blessed Virgin Mary was proclaimed as “Our Lady of Katunayake,” and He personally placed a golden crown upon the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Thereafter, the Apparition Church progressed step by step with the addition of various features. Around 2016, it underwent a massive renovation, and a beautiful new Apparition Church was built over the old one. On August 11th, 2018, the New Apparition Church was blessed and declared open by His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso.

Taking the weight of this massive renovation process upon his own shoulders, this monumental endeavor was directed by the Apostolic Media Director, Mr. Manoj Chinthaka.

To commemorate the 8th anniversary of the New Apparition Church which was offered to the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 18th, 2018, fulfilling Her desire a Festive Holy Mass will be held inside the Apparition Church at 6 pm on Saturday, August 15th. Presided over by His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, the service will also include the blessing of devotees with the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the bestowing of the blessing of the Holy Cross.
As the New Apparition Church completes its eighth year, it is of special significance that Blessed Virgin Mary has intended for the statue of Her holding the Infant Jesus, which is enshrined within the church, to miraculously emanate the fragrance of jasmine on exactly eight occasions.

What you see in this photograph is His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso walking through the New Apparition Church and blessing its interior on the evening of August 11th, 2018.

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The epicenter of this wondrous event was the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lovingly holding Baby Jesus in Her arms, which is enshrined with utmost reverence above the main altar of the Apparition Church. Without any physical source, this sharp yet profoundly gentle jasmine fragrance, which continuously emanated from the statue of the Blessed Mother, engulfed the entire church in mere moments. It was so powerful that the hundreds of devotees who had arrived from all over the island with various sorrows, hardships, and bundles of hope for the special miracle prayer service held that evening, received the extremely rare and blessed opportunity to experience this heavenly fragrance. Tears rolled down the eyes of many, as they felt the warmth and comfort of their Blessed Mother reaching deep into their very souls at that moment.

“We felt through this divine fragrance that Mother Mary had truly descended beside us to wipe away our tears and comfort us. It is the greatest heavenly grace we have received in our lifetime.”

The entire premises turned into a unified blessing through the prayers of the devotees who praised the Blessed Mother while shedding tears of devotion. Several photographs taken during that miraculous moment when the jasmine fragrance spread from this statue of the Blessed Mother enshrined in the Apparition Church have now been released, bringing tears to the eyes of the faithful. This event has once again confirmed to the whole world that Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, in Sri Lanka, continues to be a living sanctuary of miracles and maternal affection for people who come seeking refuge with burdened minds.

Through this series of photographs, you can also see with your own eyes the marvel captured on the camera lens of that special moment, when the eyes of the devotees, filled with spiritual peace, were moistened with tears as that wondrous jasmine fragrance mingled throughout the Apparition Church.

The rare moment when this divine fragrance continuously emanated from the statue of the Blessed Mother, who lovingly embraces Baby Jesus and looks at the world with profoundly compassionate eyes, has been captured in these photographs. This is not merely a photograph, but a living testament that brings a wonderful tranquility and maternal affection to the heart of anyone who sees it. It is certain that you too will feel that heavenly love that touches the heart, and the boundless protection of the Blessed Mother, in the exact same way as you look at these photographs. What meets your eyes is not merely a statue, but the living record of that wondrous divine miracle.

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These few photos herein show the occasion of emanating aroma of Jasmine from the Statue of Our Dear Blessed Mother, established in the Apparition Church

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Inside this Apparition Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared twenty-three times thus far, and devotees are waiting with great hope that She will appear to The Holy Apostle among the people for the twenty-fourth time.

Last Saturday, The Holy Apostle celebrated the Miracle Prayer service along with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. At the end, He placed the Holy Cross on the heads of a large crowd and blessed them.

Tomorrow (March 22), Saturday, the Miracle Prayer service will begin at 6 PM.

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All twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ during His earthly life were of Jewish descent. The first Apostle selected after Christ’s ascension, through a divine apparition, was also of Jewish origin.

On February 24, 2024, His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso officially commemorated 49 years in His Apostleship, marking the beginning of His 50th year, or Golden Jubilee. This celebration highlights a significant shift in Apostolic history. Until February 7, 1975, when Jesus Christ appeared in Katunayake, Sri Lanka, and appointed His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso, the Apostolate had been limited to those of Jewish descent. His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso’s appointment as the world’s first Sri Lankan Apostle in the final quarter of the 20th century broke this tradition, with Jesus Christ bestowing the Apostleship upon a Sri Lankan for the first time.

His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso celebrated His traditional 49th anniversary High Mass at the Apparition Church within Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, Sri Lanka. This Apparition Church holds significant importance as it is where Jesus Christ appeared to appoint the world’s first Sri Lankan Apostle and the second Apostle chosen through apparition. It is also where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared twenty-three times, including a special apparition on July 27, 1977 – Her eighteenth appearance – where She held the infant Jesus in Her left arm. Commemorating these events, His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso conducted the Holy Mass before the main statue of the Blessed Mother holding the infant Jesus.

“The exact location where Jesus Christ stood to appoint His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso – who was appointed as the Second Apostle of the world through apparition – is preserved near the main altar in the Apparition Church, along with the piece of earth touched by His feet. Additionally, the sacred shroud that touched Jesus Christ’s feet during that occasion is enshrined beneath the main altar. This sacred shroud has now completed 49 years, and the most miraculous aspect is that it bears the imprinted footmarks of Jesus Christ Himself.”

His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso marks 49 years as the second divinely appointed Apostle since His Holiness Apostle Paul.

His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso, the second Apostle chosen through a divine apparition of Jesus Christ 1910 years after the death of Holy Apostle Paul (the first Apostle selected through a apparition of Christ after His ascension), has completed 49 years in His Apostleship. His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, who currently resides at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine in Sri Lanka and has thus far escaped assassination attempts, now becomes the second Apostle in history to serve for 49 years.

The first Apostle to complete 49 years in His Apostleship was His Holiness Apostle John, one of the original twelve disciples chosen by Jesus during His staying on this earth. Holy Apostle John’s death occurred after the turn of the first century AD.

This milestone of His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso coincides with the 49th anniversary of on His Apostleship, bridging a gap of nearly two millennia in the tradition of divinely appointed Apostleship and drawing parallels to the Apostles of early Christianity.

Photos show here His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso celebrating the High Mass marking the 49th anniversary of His Apostolate. The ceremony took place in the Apparition Church at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine in Sri lanka

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“The best evidence that the Mother Mary’s loving gaze has been directed towards the Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine for fifty years is the frequent and continuous emission of jasmine fragrance from Her statue. This Shrine is the only place in the world where this miracle occurs regularly and frequently. At this moment, for the sixth time, this great miracle is taking place in the apparition Church of the Shrine. I am speaking to you now from very close to the statue of the Blessed Mother, which is miraculously emitting the jasmine fragrance. The intensity of the spreading jasmine fragrance is so overwhelming that it’s difficult to even remain in this location. In a short while, all of you will have the opportunity to come near the statue of the Blessed Mother in the apparition Church, where the jasmine fragrance is spreading, and witness this great miracle.”

This statement was made by His Holiness Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, who has had the unique privilege of seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary twenty-three times.

His Holiness The Apostle was compelled to make such a statement to the faithful because, for the sixth time, a miraculous jasmine fragrance began emanating from the statue of the Blessed Mother. This statue, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Infant Jesus on Her left side, is installed in the apparition Church of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, Sri Lanka, where the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared twenty-three times.

Devotees from various regions packed the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Garden at the Shrine, reciting the customary Miraculous Prayer. Addressing the gathering, His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso stood at the base of a unique statue – the only one in the world known to emit a jasmine fragrance. This statue, depicting the Blessed Mother with the Infant Jesus, is prominently displayed above the main altar in the apparition Church. During His address, the Apostle also reminded the gathering of the historical background of this miraculous jasmine fragrance phenomenon.

“The Blessed Virgin Mary, along with the Infant Jesus, appeared before Me in person on July 27, 1977. I still vividly remember that moment. It was Her eighteenth apparition. I opened the new apparition Church where these apparitions took place on August 11, 2018. For installation above the main altar of the new apparition Church, I preferred to use the statue representing the eighteenth apparition, which depicts Her appearance with the Infant Jesus.”

His Holiness the Apostle, addressing the faithful from within the apparition Church, also made the following statement.

“With the opening of the apparition Church on August 11, 2018, the statue of the Blessed Mother with the Infant Jesus began to receive constant veneration from the faithful. After that date, July 27, 2019, marked the first time the apparition Church witnessed the 42nd anniversary of the Blessed Mother appearance with the Infant Jesus. On this day, which was the 42nd anniversary of the 18th apparition, the statue of the Blessed Mother began emitting a jasmine fragrance for the first time. It was a Saturday. Many devotees had gathered at the Shrine for the Miraculous Prayer. The jasmine fragrance emanating from the statue of the Blessed Mother spread not only within the apparition Church but throughout the Shrine grounds. All the gathered faithful had the opportunity to approach the statue. Every devotee had the chance to experience the jasmine fragrance.”

His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, continuing to address the faithful from the foot of the statue of the Blessed Mother and Infant Jesus, amidst the jasmine fragrance, further stated:

“Since the first occurrence of the jasmine fragrance emanating from this statue of the Blessed Mother on July 27, 2019, this miracle has been performed by the Blessed Mother before us every year up to today, August 17, 2024. The miracle occurred for the second time on October 3, 2020, for the third time on October 9, 2021, for the fourth time on August 20, 2022, and for the fifth time it began on the evening of October 20, 2023, and continued for two days until the evening of October 21. Now, this great miracle is taking place for the sixth time today, August 17, 2024.”

As His Holiness The Apostle provided an opportunity for all the faithful gathered to experience this supreme miracle of the jasmine fragrance emanating from the statue of the Blessed Mother in the apparition Church, He further stated:

“Now, all of you will have the opportunity to approach the statue of our beloved Blessed Mother with the Infant Jesus in the apparition Church, where the jasmine fragrance is spreading, to witness this great wonder and experience the emanating jasmine fragrance. You can take as much time as you need inside the apparition Church. Although there are countless churches and shrines dedicated to the Blessed Mother around the world, and even throughout Sri Lanka, with numerous statues of the Blessed Mother along roadsides, the only place where you can find statue of the Blessed Mother emitting a jasmine fragrance is at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine in Sri Lanka. This is the only Marian Shrine in Sri Lanka where the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared 23 times.”

On the evening of Saturday, August 17, 2024, worshippers witnessed a remarkable event for the sixth time, the statue commemorating the 18th apparition, which depicts the Blessed Mother holding the Infant Jesus, began emitting a jasmine fragrance. The photos here capture both the miraculous statue and the scene inside the apparition Church, where devotees gathered as the phenomenon unfolded

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The miraculous event occurred when the statue of the Blessed Mother, situated above the main altar in the apparition Church, began to emit the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

This statue of the Virgin Mary is unique. The Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine is the first and only Shrine in Sri Lanka where the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared. She has manifested here twenty-three times to date, and on each of these occasions She appeared before the world’s first Sri Lankan Apostle and the second Apostle appointed by Jesus Christ through an apparition, His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso.

Among the twenty-three apparitions of the Mother of God, the eighteenth apparition remains particularly significant. This eighteenth apparition occurred on July 27, 1977, when the Virgin Mary appeared before His Holiness The Apostle, holding the infant Jesus in Her left arm. As usual, Her golden rosary hung from Her right hand. Appearing before His Holiness The Apostle with the infant Jesus, this revered Mother spoke many things in Her familiar tone, as She had done before.

A life-size statue depicting the Virgin Mary’s apparition with the infant Jesus was created under the guidance of His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso. This statue was blessed by the hands of His Holiness The Apostle at the conclusion of the Midnight Christmas Mass on December 24, 2015.

This statue is currently enshrined above the main altar in the apparition Church at Our Lady of Katunayake Shrine. On Saturday evening, August 17, 2024, for the sixth time, the statue miraculously began to emit the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

Despite millions of statues of the Blessed Mother, in churches, shrines, homes, and roadsides worldwide, this statue became the only one known to emit the fragrance of jasmine flowers. The phenomenon first occurred on the evening of Saturday, July 27, 2019. This date marked the 42nd anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparition with the infant Jesus. That evening, devotees who had gathered at Our Lady of Katunayake Shrine, Sri Lanka, from various regions for the usual miracle prayer service were blessed with the opportunity to experience the jasmine fragrance emanating from the statue of the Blessed Mother.

On the evening of Saturday, August 17, 2024, devotees from various regions once again gathered at Our Lady of Katunayake Shrine, for the customary miracle prayer service. This time, for the sixth instance, the great miracle occurred during the Saturday evening miracle prayer session. Consequently, the faithful who had come to participate were blessed with the opportunity to experience the jasmine fragrance emanating from the statue of the Blessed Mother for the sixth time.

On the evening of Saturday, August 17, 2024, the statue of the Blessed Mother with the infant Jesus, enshrined in the apparition Church at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, began emitting the fragrance of jasmine flowers. In these photographs, you can see devotees inhaling the heavenly sweet fragrance, joyfully experiencing it, and praying devoutly before the statue of the Blessed Mother, expressing their requests

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The blessing of the Holy Cross began in February 1975, following guidance from the Virgin Mary. This coincided with the start of the Virgin Mary’s apparitions to His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso at the Our Lady of Katunayake Shrine, Sri Lanka. To date, there have been twenty-three apparitions, with the first occurring on February 5, 1975, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared before the Holy Apostle.

On Saturday evening, August 17, 2024, His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso imparted the blessing of the Holy Cross upon devotees gathered at the Apparition Church. The ceremony took place at the foot of the main statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which had begun emitting the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

The Holy Apostle Himself first conducted the blessing of the Holy Cross in February 1975.

The blessing of the Holy Cross is expected to be offered on Saturday evenings through February 2026.

Following the Miracle Prayer on Saturday evening, August 24, His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso imparted the blessing of the Holy Cross upon the faithful. The ceremony took place inside the Apparition Church at Our Lady of Katunayake Shrine, Sri Lanka. The accompanying photos depict this sacred event.

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The previous Saturday, August 17, 2024, marked the sixth occurrence of a powerful miracle within the Apparition Church. The opportunity to offer the Miraculous Prayer in this sacred space was a source of joy for all devotees.

The extraordinary miracle that occurred the previous week was the continuous emanation of jasmine fragrance from the statue of the Virgin Mary, positioned above the main altar in the Apparition Church. This was the sixth instance of this miracle taking place. Such a phenomenon occurs nowhere else in the world except at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, Sri Lanka—the first and only Shrine in the country where the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared.

You can see a few photographs here from the Miraculous Prayer service held last Saturday in the Apparition Church, conducted under His Holiness the Apostle.

The next Miraculous Prayer service is scheduled to commence at 6 PM on next Saturday, August 31.