“I appeal to all the relevant authorities to expedite the resettlement of these people to their own villages,” Archbishop Ranjith told more than 300,000 pilgrims gathered at the shrine to mark the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Aug. 15.

Despite the end of the 30-year civil war between the government and Tamil separatists, some 300,000 Tamil civilians still remain in refugee camps across the region.

They include parishioners, choristers and altar servers from the shrine.

In his homily, the archbishop of Colombo a Sinhalese, remembered those languishing in the camps.

“What a beautiful day it is but there is another crowd who was not able to come today. It would have been so meaningful and beautiful if our own brothers and sisters in the camps were here today,” he said.

“We know that there are difficulties and challenges but I appeal to those in charge to find solutions and do their utmost to help these people begin a new life. They are our own citizens," the newly appointed archbishop said.

Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam of Jaffna echoed his message.

“People came from all parts of the country. Where are the people from this area?” he asked.

The bishop said most local people were "confined to camps behind barbed wire fences like prisoners."

Three bishops, 200 priests and nuns as well as three Buddhist monks and some parliamentarians attended the feast. It was the first time in four years that such a large crowd of Catholic devotees from the south and north, together with people who are not Catholics, took part in the shrine’s feast day celebrations.

The government in 2005 withdrew permission for Catholics to visit the shrine in large numbers. Tamil Tigers rebels controlled the area until last year.The shrine is considered a symbol of unity not just for the minority Tamils and majority Sinhalese but also for people of different religions of the country.

In the run-up to the feast, hundreds of vehicles lined up at military checkpoints on the highway to Madhu.

“Up to 90 percent of the devotees this year were Sinhalese people who generally could not visit during the long years of Tamil Tiger control,” said Adrian Croos, a Tamil from Mannar.

He called for the event to be a watershed in relations between the two ethnic groups. “Hatred and suspicion among us must end now. It has caused blood to flow in the north. We must never to take up arms again and fight among ourselves,” Croos said.

Father Barnabas Fred Desmond Culas, the administrator of the shrine, said that the government had provided logistical support for the feast, including the provision of electrical power, water, health and sanitary facilities as well transport for thousands of pilgrims.