Ethan Walker
Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist country, with Christians making up a significant minority. The introduction of Christianity to the island is thought to date back to the first century, with the arrival of St. Thomas Christians and East Syriac Christians. However, the establishment of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is attributed to the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century. The country's Catholic community has faced various challenges throughout its history, including colonial influences, ethnic and religious tensions, and anti-Christian violence. Despite these difficulties, Catholicism has a strong cultural presence in Sri Lanka, with approximately 1.2 million to 1.5 million Catholics, representing around 6% to 7% of the total population.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholics in Sri Lanka | 1,552,434 (7% of the population) |
| Year of First Catholic Mass | 1505 |
| Percentage of Protestants in Sri Lanka | 1.43% |
| Number of Active Parishes in 2000 | 384 |
| Number of Diocesan Priests in 2000 | 568 |
| Number of Religious Priests in 2000 | 308 |
| Number of Brothers Working in Various Capacities in 2000 | 246 |
| Number of Sisters Working in Various Capacities in 2000 | 2,237 |
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism's colonial past in Sri Lanka
Catholicism in Sri Lanka has a long history that reflects the dynamics of colonialism as well as present-day ethnic and religious tensions. It was first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, who established trading relations with King Vira Parakramabahu VII (also known as Dharma Parakramabahu IX) and later intervened in succession struggles in local kingdoms. Among those converted was Don Juan Dharmapala, the king of Kotte, a small kingdom near present-day Colombo.
Portuguese colonialism opened the door for Roman Catholicism into Sri Lanka, and the religion was spread by Portuguese, Dutch, and Irish missionaries over the next few centuries, most notably on the western and northwestern coasts. When the Dutch and the Dutch East India Company displaced the Portuguese, Catholicism was revived through the efforts of St. Joseph Vaz, a Goan missionary who was later canonized by Pope Francis in 2015.
By 1948, when Sri Lanka gained independence from Great Britain, Catholics had established a distinct identity, displaying the papal flag alongside the national flag during independence day celebrations. However, tensions arose in the 1960s when the Sri Lankan government compromised the Catholic Church's independence by taking over church schools. In 1962, there was an attempted coup by Catholic and Protestant army officers, allegedly in response to the increasing Buddhist presence in the military. The 25-year-long Sri Lankan Civil War, which began in 1983, further divided the Catholic community, as Christians were among the targets of the rising militant forms of Buddhism in the country.
Today, Catholicism has a strong cultural presence in Sri Lanka, with a large pilgrimage site in Madhu dedicated to the Virgin Mary and an internationally known healing and prayer center in Kudagama. Approximately 7% of Sri Lanka's population is Christian, and the majority of them are Catholic. While being Catholic and Sri Lankan are not considered contradictions, Catholicism in the country still struggles with its colonial past.
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Catholic community's response to the Sri Lankan Civil War
Approximately 7% of Sri Lanka's 21 million people are Christian, with the majority of them being Roman Catholic. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. The country is made up of 12 dioceses, including one archdiocese. There are approximately 1.2 million Catholics in Sri Lanka, representing around 6.1% of the total population (according to the 2012 census).
The Sri Lankan Civil War, a 25-year-long conflict starting in 1983, divided the Catholic community. The war was fought against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who sought a separate state for Sri Lanka's Tamil community in the northern and eastern parts of the island. The rebels included Catholics in military positions, and the Sri Lankan army also had Christian members holding leadership ranks. Catholic bishops from Tamil and Sinhalese areas could not develop a coherent response to the conflict and disagreed on recommending a Christmas season ceasefire.
The civil war and its accompanying ethnic divisions have left deep wounds on the country, and the government has come under fire for its response since the conflict ended. The Sri Lankan government has been accused of continuing to disenfranchise the Tamil community, slowly replacing Tamil culture with Sinhalese culture in predominantly Tamil areas. These efforts have infringed upon and, in some cases, even erased the Tamil perspective on Sri Lankan history and culture. The government's actions have been deemed increasingly undemocratic, alienating both the Tamil minority and the Sinhalese majority.
The international community has also responded to the civil war and its aftermath. In February 2020, the US State Department banned the current commander of the Sri Lankan Army, General Shavendra Silva, from entering the country due to war crimes committed during the conflict. The Canadian government imposed sanctions on former presidents and members of the Sri Lankan Army over "gross and systematic violations of human rights." The UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic called for the establishment of a new international tribunal to prosecute those responsible for crimes during the conflict.
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Catholic schools in Sri Lanka
Catholicism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 16th century by Portuguese colonists and missionaries. It is estimated that there are approximately 1.2 million Catholics in Sri Lanka, constituting around 6.1% of the total population (as per the 2012 census). The majority of Christians in Sri Lanka are Catholics, and the Catholic Church in the country is under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome, with the country falling under the province of Colombo and consisting of 12 dioceses, including one archdiocese.
Despite these challenges, Catholicism has a strong cultural presence in Sri Lanka, and the country has produced prominent figures in global Catholicism, such as Cardinal Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, who was considered a candidate for pope before the election of Pope Francis. The Catholic community in Sri Lanka continues to face challenges from rising militant forms of Buddhism, such as the ultra-nationalist Buddhist organization Bodu Bala Sena, which has targeted Christians and demanded apologies for colonial-era "atrocities".
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Catholic publications in Sri Lanka
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The country is made up of 12 dioceses, including one archdiocese, with approximately 1.2 million Catholics, representing around 6.1% of the total population (according to the 2012 census).
The Catholic Church of Sri Lanka publishes the oldest Sinhalese-language newspaper and magazine still in print in the country. These publications, Gnanartha Pradeepaya (Light of Wisdom) and Bhakthi Prabodanaya (Spiritual Renewal), were started in the late 19th century. The publications aim to instil spiritual values in the faithful, who are a minority in the predominantly Buddhist island nation. Over the years, they have also raised awareness of various social issues, provided a forum for public opinion, and guided aspiring journalists in refining their writing skills.
The Gnanartha Pradeepaya (GP) was founded to nurture and propagate the Catholic faith, and all articles were written and edited with this objective. It has since broadened its scope, adopting a more open stance, and has acquired wider national coverage, including content beyond solely religious matters. The GP is considered the organ of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka at the national level.
In addition to these publications, the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has a strong online presence through websites such as UCA News, which provides the latest updates, news, and features related to the Church in the country and Asia. Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC, the social arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka, also has a website featuring updates on their initiatives, such as their Entrepreneurship Development Program and their collaboration with schools to promote inter-religious training modules.
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Catholic places of worship in Sri Lanka
Catholicism was introduced to Sri Lanka through Portuguese colonialism in the 16th century. Since then, the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has become a part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. The country is made up of 12 dioceses, including one archdiocese, and is home to approximately 1.2 million Catholics, who make up around 6.1% to 7% of the total population.
One of the oldest churches in Sri Lanka is the Christian Reformed Church, which was introduced as a missionary religion by Dutch missionaries in 1658. The Dutch rule that followed the Portuguese presence in Sri Lanka was not kind to Catholics; they banned all Catholic practices, banished priests, and ordered capital punishment for anyone harbouring a Catholic priest. Catholics had to continue without a priest until Father Joseph Vaz, an early Goan missionary, reached the island in 1687. He became known as the Apostle of Sri Lanka and was later canonised by Pope Francis in 2015.
Some notable Catholic places of worship in Sri Lanka include:
- St. Sebastian's Church, Wellaweediya: This church is patterned on the Reims Cathedral in France and is built in the Gothic Revival style.
- All Saints' Church, Borella: This church is known for its stunning Gothic architecture, which sets it apart from other major churches in the country.
- Basilica of Our Lanka: This Roman Catholic Church has the status of a Basilica in Tewatte, Sri Lanka.
- St. Andrew's Church, Colombo: This church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland and is part of its International Presbytery for administrative purposes.
In addition to these, there are over 200 Methodist churches in Sri Lanka, with a significant Methodist population in the Moratuwa Area and Kutunayake Negombo Areas. The Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church is another Protestant denomination in Sri Lanka, with over a dozen congregations or mission stations in the tea plantation regions of Nuwara Eliya, Central Province.
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Frequently asked questions
There are approximately 1.2 million Catholics in Sri Lanka, representing around 6.1% of the total population, according to the 2012 census.
Christians make up around 7% of Sri Lanka's population, and among them, 80% are Catholics. So, Catholics make up around 5.6% of the total population of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist country, with Buddhism making up around 70% of the population. Christians, along with Muslims and Hindus, constitute a major minority.
Catholicism was introduced to Sri Lanka through Portuguese colonialism in the 16th century. It faced periods of suppression and revival under different colonial rules. Today, it is a minority religion, with a significant cultural presence, constituting around 6-7% of the population.
