The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo () is a

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

metropolitan

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, whose

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

covers all

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

plus the

Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...

(which are within the archbishopric). It depends on the missionary

Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP; ) was a congregation of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church in Rome, responsible for missionary work and related activities. It is also known by its former title, the Sacred Congrega ...

. The current archbishop of Colombo, appointed by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

on 16 June 2009, is Cardinal

Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don Albert Malcolm Ranjith (; born 15 November 1947) is a Sri Lankan Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Colombo since 2009. He was made a cardinal in 2010. Ranjith previously served as auxiliary bishop of Colombo (1 ...

. He is assisted in this role by the auxiliary bishops. The archdiocesan

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral church, or ...

and

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

seat of its metropolitan archbishop is St. Lucia's Cathedral. Its other national shrines are the

Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka The Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka (; ) is a Roman Catholic basilica in Tewatte, Sri Lanka. Being thus in a somewhat distant suburb of Colombo, it comes under the purview of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo and is a site of pilgrimage for ...

in Tewatta and St. Anthony's National Shrine, a

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

in Kochchikade.

Statistics

As of 2014, it pastorally served 637,729 Catholics (8.8% of 7,281,000 total) on 3,838 km² in 128 parishes with 592 priests (313 diocesan, 279 religious), 1,560 lay religious (380 brothers, 1,180 sisters) and 292 seminarians.

History

It was erected as the Diocese of Ceylon, on territory split off from the

Diocese of Cochin The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin () is a Roman Catholic Diocese in Cochin, Kerala, Kochi, Kerala, India. A constituent of the Latin Church, the diocese was established in 1557 after the domination of the Portuguese language, Portuguese-spe ...

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI (; ; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in June 1846. He had adopted the name Mauro upon enteri ...

on December 3, 1834. Renamed as the Diocese of Colombo on February 17, 1845, having lost territory to establish the then

Apostolic Vicariate of Jaffna The Diocese of Jaffna () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in northern Sri Lanka. Latin Catholicism in the diocese's territory dates to the time of Francis Xavier. The current bishop is Justin Gnanapra ...

(now a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...

diocese). It lost territory on April 20, 1883, to establish the then

Apostolic Vicariate of Kandy The Diocese of Kandy (Lat: ''Dioecesis Kandiensis'') is a suffragan diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the ecclesiastical province (covering all Sri Lanka) of the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Colombo, but depends on the missio ...

(now its suffragan diocese)

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the Ap ...

elevated it to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo on September 1, 1886. Lost territories repeatedly : on 1893.08.25 to establish

Diocese of Galle The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galle () is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Galle in 1893, the diocese is suffragan to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo. In 1995, part of the ...

and

Diocese of Trincomalee The Diocese of Trincomalee () is a Roman Catholic diocese for eastern Sri Lanka. The current bishop is Noel Emmanuel. History The Diocese of Trincomalee was created on 25 August 1893 from parts of the Archdiocese of Colombo The Roman Catholic ...

, on 1939.01.05 to establish

Diocese of Chilaw The Diocese of Chilaw (Lat: ''Dioecesis Chilavensis'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Galle in 1939, the diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Colombo. In 1995, part of the di ...

, all three as its suffragans Its name was changed by

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

to the Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon on December 6, 1944, but was returned to simply the Archdiocese of Colombo on May 22, 1972 by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

. It enjoyed Papal visits form

(December 1970),

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

(January 1995) and

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

(January 2015).

Ecclesiastical province

Its

suffragan sees A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led by ...

are : *

Roman Catholic Diocese of Anuradhapura The Roman Catholic Diocese of Anuradhapura (Lat: ''Dioecesis Anuradhapurensis'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Originally erected as the apostolic prefecture of Anuradhapura, the prefecture was create ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Badulla The Roman Catholic Diocese of Badulla (Lat: ''Dioecesis Badullana'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Badulla in 1972, the diocese was created from territory in the Diocese of ...

* Roman Catholic Diocese of Batticaloa *

Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw The Diocese of Chilaw (Lat: ''Dioecesis Chilavensis'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Galle in 1939, the diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Colombo. In 1995, part of the di ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Galle The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galle () is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Galle in 1893, the diocese is suffragan to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo. In 1995, part of the ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna The Diocese of Jaffna () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in northern Sri Lanka. Latin Catholicism in the diocese's territory dates to the time of Francis Xavier. The current bishop is Justin Gnanapra ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandy The Diocese of Kandy (Lat: ''Dioecesis Kandiensis'') is a suffragan diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the ecclesiastical province (covering all Sri Lanka) of the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Colombo, but depends on the missio ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kurunegala The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kurunegala (Lat: ''Dioecesis Kurunegalaensis'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Erected as the Diocese of Kurunegala in 1987, from territory in the Diocese of Chilaw, th ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Mannar The Diocese of Mannar () is a Roman Catholicism in Sri Lanka, Roman Catholic diocese for north-western Sri Lanka, administered by the Bishop of Mannar, currently Fidelis Fernando. History The Diocese of Mannar was created on 24 January 1981 from ...

* Roman Catholic Diocese of Ratnapura * Roman Catholic Diocese of Trincomalee

Bishops

Ordinaries

;''Bishops of Ceylon'' * Vicente do Rosayro, C.O. (1836–1842) * Caetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O. (1843–1845); ''see below'' ;''Bishops of Colombo'' * Caetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O. (1845–1857); ''see above'' * Giuseppe Maria Bravi, O.S.B. Silv. (1857–1860) * Hilarion Silani, O.S.B. Silv. (1863–1879) * Clemente Pagnani, O.S.B. Silv. (1879–1883), appointed Apostolic Vicar and later Bishop of Kandy * Christophe-Etienne Bonjean, O.M.I. (1883–1886); ''see below'' ;''Archbishops of Colombo'' * Christophe-Etienne Bonjean, O.M.I. (1886–1892); ''see above'' *

André-Théophile Mélizan André-Théophile Mélizan (27 May 1844 – 27 June 1905) was a French Catholic missionary, priest and bishop, who served as the second Archbishop of Colombo, Ceylon from 1893 to 1905. Biography André-Théophile Mélizan was born on 27 May 1 ...

, O.M.I. (1893–1905) *

Antoine Coudert Antoine Coudert OMI (17 March 1861 – 31 March 1929) was a French Catholic missionary who served as Archbishop of Colombo, Ceylon, from 1905 to 1929. Early life and education Coudert was born on 17 March 1861 in Manglieu, France. He was educ ...

, O.M.I. (1905–1929) * Pierre-Guillaume Marque, O.M.I. (1929–1937) * Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I. (1938–1944); ''see below'' ;''Archbishops of Colombo in Ceylon'' * Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I. (1944–1947); ''see above'' *

Thomas Cooray Thomas Benjamin Cooray (Sinhala language: තෝමස් බෙන්ජමින් කුරේ), O.M.I. (28 December 1901 – 29 October 1988) was a Sri Lankan cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Colombo ...

, O.M.I. (1947–1972); Cardinal in 1965; ''see below'' ;''Archbishops of Colombo'' * Cardinal Thomas Cooray, O.M.I. (1972–1976); ''see above'' *

Nicholas Fernando Nicholas Marcus Fernando (6 December 1932 – 10 April 2020) was a Sri Lankan Roman Catholic archbishop. Fernando was born in Negombo Sri Lanka and was ordained to the priesthood in 1959. He served as archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdio ...

(1977–2002) *

Oswald Gomis Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis ( Sinhala: ඔස්වල්ඩ් තෝමස් කොල්මන් ගෝමිස්; 12 December 1932 – 3 February 2023) was the emeritus Roman Catholic Archbishop of Colombo and the former Chancellor of the ...

(2002–2009) *

(2009–present); Cardinal in 2010

Coadjutor Archbishops of Colombo

, O.M.I. (1898–1905) * Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I. (1945–1947), future Cardinal

Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo

* Anthony de Saram (1962–1965) Titular Bishop of Tacapae; appointed Bishop of Galle *

Frank Marcus Fernando Frank Marcus Fernando ( Sinhala: ෆ්‍රෑන්ක් මාකස් ප්‍රනාන්දු) (October 19, 1931 – August 24, 2009) was the Sri Lankan bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw in Sri Lanka. Fernando served as ...

(1965–1968) Titular Bishop of Oliva; appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Chilaw * Edmund Joseph Fernando (1968–1983) Titular Bishop of Igilgili; appointed Bishop of Badulla *

(1968–1995) Titular Bishop of Mulia; appointed Bishop of Anuradhapura; later returned here as Archbishop *

(1991–1995) Titular Bishop of Cabarsussi; appointed Bishop of Ratnapura; later returned here as Archbishop; future Cardinal * Vincent Marius Joseph Peiris (2001–2018) Titular Bishop of Tacarata * Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando (2012–2017) Titular Bishop of Horta; appointed Bishop of Mannar * Maxwell Silva (2012–Present) Titular Bishop of Lesina * Jayakody Aratchige Don Anton Jayakody (2018–Present) Titular Bishop of Mulli *

Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam, also known as Anton Ranjith, was born on September 23, 1966, in Jaffna. As of July 13, 2020, he is serving as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo. He has also been serving as the director of Tamil Theol ...

(2020–Present) Titular Bishop of Materiana

List of churches in the archdiocese

* Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Kandawala * Christ the King Church, Pannipitiya * St. Thomas' Church, Kotte * Our Lady of Fatima Church, Battaramulla * All Saints' Church, Borella * St. Mary's Church, Maharagama * Sacred Heart Church, Rajagiriya * Holy Rosary Church, Slave Island, Colombo-02 * St. Philip Neri's Church, Pettah, Colombo-12 * St. Anthony's Church, Kollupitiya, Colombo-03 * St. Mary's Church. Bambalapitiya, Colombo-04 * St. Lawrence's Church, Wellawatte, Colombo-06 *

St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade St. Anthony's Shrine (; ) is a Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The church is located at Kochchikade, Kotahena, Colombo 13, and is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua. The church is designated a national shrine and min ...

, Colombo * Fatima Church, Maradana * St. Joseph's Church, Grandpass, Colombo 14 * St. Mary's Church, Mattakuliya, Colombo 15 * St. James the Great Church, Mutwal, Colombo 15 * St. Sebastian's Church, Panchikawatha, Colombo 10

St. Theresa's Church Colombo

The Church of St. Theresa is a

Roman Catholic church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

located at Thimbirigasyaya Road,

Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...

. The current parish priest is Rev. Fr. Neil Dias Karunarathne C.Ss.R. Over time the Catholic community of the area had been growing, and a Fr. James initiated a process in 1934 to construct the existing church. In 1937, a proposal was made to Fr. Giwdan, the parish priest of Bambalapitiya, to lay a foundation for a Catholic church. The bishop gave his permission, and as a result the temporary structure was built and dedicated to St. Theresa. In 1951, construction started and in 1952 Archbishop Thomas Cooray has handed over the church to Dominican fathers. It was completed and consecrated on 7 October 1961 by Archbishop Thomas Cooray.

References

Sources and external links

*
GCatholic.org, Google map and satellite photo; data for most sections

Church official website
*Senewiratne, A.M. (2020) ''Till The Mountains Disappear: The Story of St. Joseph's College, Sri Lanka''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Colombo, Roman Catholic Archdiocese Roman Catholic dioceses in Sri Lanka Colombo

Religious organizations established in 1834 Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...

Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century 1834 establishments in Ceylon