The Calvary at St. Vincent's Home had been a place of Pilgrimage for more than 100 years during the Lenten Season which begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Easter Sunday with the Festive Mass of the Resurrection. It is situated about 50 Km south of Colombo and about 2 Km towards the landside from Maggona.

Maggona can be reached by train, bus or by private transport and from the town area it's only a 2 Km walk, or if you have your own transport, you drive straight to the gates of St. Vincent's.

Very Rev. Fr. Isidore Belle O.M.I., who was Superior of the Institution from 1899 - 1906, had an idea of creating a Calvary, since there was a beautiful hill in the premises. To execute this idea of his, he needed a person who will carry out his vision faithfully. He needed a dedicated and committed person to carry out this project. He was none other than the zealous and energetic Bro. Joseph Gonsal of the congregation of St. Vincent de Paul, an indigenous congregation founded at Maggona, which later came to be known as Franciscan Brothers. Bro. Gonsal was a Bharatha and descendent of the Royal family of King Pandian of South India.

Fr. Belle entrusted this project to him and gave him all the encouragement, to go ahead with the work.

Bro. Gonsal spared no pains to execute the task entrusted to him. The place chosen for the Calvary was a thick jungle and also it was full of Cobras, Pythons, Vipers etc. Anyhow, Bro. Gonsal got the o rphans, juvenile delinquents, people of the area and the religious brothers to clear the place. The work was completed sooner than expected. The next question was how to find money.

St. Vincent's Home could not bear the whole cost, since it was founded only six or seven years ago. They had no proper income for their maintenance. No rubber, coconut, cinnamon or any workshop to bring in an income.

Bro. Gonsal did not get discouraged. He had full confidence in God, since he was doing His work. He was determined to do the work that was entrusted to him as best as he could. He set out to Colombo to meet the members of the Bharatha community and explained to them about the project. They were textile merchants, liquor shop owners, dry fish merchants, religious article shop owners etc. They were very devout Catholics, and they assured Bro. Gonsal that they would help him in the work. They were able to collect Rs. 1500.00. He came back to Maggona with this money and started the work. He got a large wooden cross erected on a structure constructed for the purpose. He made another 13 wooden crosses and fixed them starting from Lourdes Grotto.

Once the work was completed, Bro. Gonsal with great joy, informed the superior and he in turn got the permission of the Archbishop of Colombo, Dr. Andrew Melizan O.M.I. to start devotions at the Calvary. On 14 September 1900, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Fr. Belle blessed the Calvary and celebrated the first feast surrounded by the orphans, juvenile delinquents, brothers of St. Vincent de Paul, oblates and some people of the vicinity.

As recorded in the Codex, Historicus of St. Vincent's Home, this feast was celebrated annually with great solemnity. During the Lenten season, the inmates of the home and a few people of the area made their Way of the Cross, although this place was not made a place of public worship. In 1905, Very Rev. Fr. Belle left for Rome. Here, he learnt that four Bronze Crucifixion Statues were to be sent out to the four corners of the world. He lost no time and got in touch with the authorities and explained to them the need of a Crucifixion Statue for Sri Lanka's Calvary at Maggona. They agreed to the request of Fr. Belle, and nine donated one to Maggona.

This Bronze Crucifixion Statue, was brought to St. Mary's Church, Payagala and kept there for sometime, and from there it was taken in procession to Maggona along the gaily decorated route amidst pealing of church bells. It was a very prayerful procession and once it reached Calvary, it was received by the Superior and was blessed and installed at the summit of the Calvary for public veneration.

Gradually, the people came to know about the Maggona Calvary and started to come on pilgrimage. The Bharatha community from Colombo, Kochchikade, Kotahena, Mutwal and Grandpass came in large numbers on Passion Friday and had their Way of the Cross, Penitential Services, offered vows etc., organised by themselves. At that time there were no facilities whatsoever and no statues were erected at the stations.

Seeing that there were no statues at the stations for the pilgrims to meditate on the passion of Christ, Bro. L. Seguine O.M.I. when he returned from France on 14 August 1956, brought with him the statue for the third station. Rev. Fr. P. Selmar O.M.I., Superior at that time, got down a sculptor and made two statues based on the same model and placed them in the niches of seventh and ninth stations. Before he could complete all the stations, he was transferred.

In 1963, the first Ceylonese Oblate in the person of Rev. Fr. Anthony Dharmaratne O.M.I. was appointed as Superior and Manager of St. Vincent's Home. He was very much interested like Fr. Belle to improve the Calvary and make it a place of pilgrimage. He requested Fr. Aloysius Dassanayake O.M.I. who was known throughout the length and breadth of Sri Lanka as a renowned preacher, and a popular writer and entrusted to him the responsible work of renovation. He planned the renovation programme and set about to work on it. He knew the ways and means of collecting funds. He appealed to the benefactors to contribute Rs. 75,000 for a station memory of their departed parents, relatives or friends and also the Old Boys of St. Vincent's Children’ Home.

Thus, he was able to collect the needed funds and also another Rs. 1500.00 for the 14th station.

He was now in search of a sculptor who would make the statues that would depict the Passion of Our Lord. He heard of one Mr. J. Leo of Mannar who was 'famous in this work. Mr. Leo was brought down to Maggona, and under the supervision of Fr. Dassanayake, the beautiful statues at Maggona Calvary were made. In this renovation work at the Calvary, Fr. Dassanayake was ably assisted by Bro. K. D. Marcelline O.M.I. and Bro. Manuel Fernando, O.M.I. These two Brothers gave of their best in sacrificing their time and energy.

On 7 March 1965, Fr. A. Dharmaratne O.M.I. in the presence of Rt. Rev. Dr. Anthony de Saram, Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo, blessed the statues. Bishop de Saram declared open the renovated Calvary for public pilgrimage, and offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the presence of the inmates of the Home and people of Maggona and Diyalagoda Parishes.

On 12 February 1965, the Calvary area was placed under the protection of St. Michael the Archangel by erecting a statue at the entrance. The Sepulchre (14th station) was built at the request of Bro. K. D. Marcelline O.M.I. by Mr. Raj Fernando, a Bharatha textile merchant who bore the entire expenses. This was blessed by Fr. Cyril Perera O.M.I., Director of Susithodaya on 15 March 1965. On 21 March,a Pilgrim’s rerst designd by Bro. John Manuel Fernando, O.M.I. was blessed and opened by Fr. A. Dassanayake O.M.I. This Pilgrim’s Rest provides accommodation for the pilgrims who come from distant places. This place is also used for masses during the Lenten season.

On 6 March 1966, the Garden of Gethsamani was blessed by the Very Rev. Fr. Basil Wiratunge O.M.I., the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Colombo and a Holy Hour was conducted by Very Rev. Fr. Don Peter, Rector of St. Joseph's College, Colombo. The Way of the Cross starts from the Garden of Gethsamami, on March 15 and proceeds towards the summit of Calvary. The 15th station, depicting the Resurrection of Our Lord, was erected on Easter Sunday, on 26 March 1967. It was blessed and the Festive Easter Mass was offered by Rev. Fr. A. Dharmaratne O.M.I., the Superior.

With the arrival of Rev. Fr. Michael Croos O.M.I. in 1972, as Superior of St. Vincent's Home, a long felt need was fulfilled. That was a Crucifixion statue that could be utilized for the Crucifixion on Good Friday.

This statue was brought from Diyalagoda Junction in a triumphant procession on 7 March 1974. Church bells pealed all along the route which was fittingly decorated. A mammoth gathering joined on foot in a truly penitential procession along the rough St. Vincent's Road under a burning noonday sun, making the Way of the Cross all along. The statue was blessed by Rev. Fr. W. Michael Croos O.M.I., the Superior, assisted by a number of priests and this was followed by the Concelebrated Mass.

On 16 March 1975, the first Diamond Jubilee of the Calvary was celebrated with His Excellency, Carlo Curis, Delegate Apostolic, presiding at the Concelebrated Mass. This was preceded by a two mile penitential procession starting from Diyalagoda. At the rear of the procession, a relic of the true Cross was borne in a decorated chariot, while selected parties of the faithful carried in turn a large wooden Cross, the symbol of their Faith. On August 8, 2008, the Maggona Calvary was declared a National Sacred Shrine by the government with the knowledge of the President and Ministers.