Mannar martyrs
Portuguese missionaries attributed the baptism, martyrdom and intercession of the Mannar Martyrs for the rapid conversion and growth of Catholicism in Sri Lanka.
[1]: 43–48 A Sri Lankan trilingual film named Praana ('Praana' in Sinhala, 'Seeds' in English and 'Viththukkal' in Tamil), was made in 2022, based on this incident.
In their book on the life of St. Francis Xavier, Daniello Bartoli and Giovanni Maffei stated “that of the many various States which sent to ask Xavier to come and impart the light of Gospel none is so deserving of remembrance, none deserving of praise as we say of a holy envy as the Mannarese who prove themselves the beautiful models and masters of patience and heroic fortitude to the whole of that new Eastern Church.
So rapidly did the fruit ripen of which God has blessed the seed, that they who yesterday were idolaters and today Christians and would be tomorrow be Martyrs”.
The smallest children crying out when their mothers tried to hide them from seeing their companions beheaded, they offered their throat to the executioners with the wonderful power of faith.
As each one in turn was asked whether he or she were Christian, whereas a negative answer would at once have placed their lives in a safety so generous were these neophytes that far from having recourse to subterfuge, they boldly confessed the Faith.
[2]: 78–79 Queiroz mentioned Cleric Francis Xavier and Uraccinga (llam Singai) a sort of Governor- tributary prince were martyred.
There is also an old tradition recorded by Dr. Bonjean in the Missions Catholiques of Lyons that the king and his executioners were on hot pursuit for a convert named Santa Cruz as he had been going about among the Christians comforting and encouraging them to lay down their lives joyfully for God.
Antoninus in that location found ruins of a Church, a broken down altar, and several skeletons lying in all directions , some belonging to children , others with heads got separated.
St. Francis Xavier in his letter dated January 27, 1545 to Jesuit fathers in Rome wrote “Thanks be given to God our Lord because we do not lack martyrs in our time.
He permits in the mystery of his providence that human barbarity should fill up the destined ranks and number of the Blessed.”[1]: 21 Miguel Vaz, the Vicar General of Goa when he reached Portugal in October 1545, gave detail account of the Martyrdom to king John III as he heard from St. Francis Xavier.
Le Fevre, the Visiting General of the Jesuits exclaimed “I do not know to give expression to all that my soul has felt in Jesus Christ on learning about the glorious death of the six hundreds Martyrs of India.
When Saint Francis Xavier visited Mannar after the martyrdom, he reverently kissed the ground which had been moistened with the blood of martyrs of Pasim (Patim).
While he rejoiced at the happiness of the dead, he had the reason to be afflicted at the misery of the living as a contagious disease laid waste the island and daily carried off a hundred persons.
When Manarese were told that the great father so celebrated throughout India was at Pasim, three thousand of them most of whom were pagans assembled and most earnestly besought him to deliver them from the pestilence.
During this time his prayer principally consisted in offering up to God the merits of the blessed Martyrs who had suffered for his name at Pasim.
