Historical Churches of Sri Lanka

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All Angels’ Church in Colpetty (Gal Palliya) –
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Christianity in Sri Lanka has a fascinating history dating back centuries. Introduced by Portuguese colonizers (1505–1658) in the early 16th century, Christianity took root and evolved over time to become a significant religious minority in the country. Today, Christians, primarily Roman Catholics and Protestants, make up around 7-8% of Sri Lanka’s population.

The Portuguese established colonies along the coastal regions of the island, including areas such as Colombo, Galle, and Jaffna. During the Portuguese colonial period, Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, became the dominant form of Christianity in Sri Lanka.

Portuguese missionaries, particularly members of religious orders such as the Jesuits and Franciscans, were active in Sri Lanka during this period. They engaged in evangelization efforts aimed at both Buddhists and Hindus, preaching the Christian gospel and attempting to persuade individuals to convert to Catholicism.

The Portuguese offered various incentives to encourage conversion, including patronage, economic benefits, and positions of authority within the colonial administration. Those who converted to Christianity could receive favours from the Portuguese authorities, such as land grants, trade privileges, or exemptions from certain taxes.

The Portuguese established churches, schools, hospitals, and orphanages, which served as centres for religious instruction, social services, and community outreach. These institutions often had a dual purpose of providing assistance to the local population while also facilitating the spread of Christianity.

Portuguese missionaries sometimes adapted Christian practices and rituals to resonate with local cultural traditions, making Christianity more appealing to Buddhists and Hindus. This strategy aimed to minimize cultural barriers to conversion and foster a sense of cultural continuity for converts.

Despite the Portuguese conversion efforts, there was significant resistance from both Buddhist and Hindu communities. Many people remained steadfast in their traditional faiths and resisted attempts at conversion. This resistance sometimes led to conflicts between the Portuguese authorities and local populations, exacerbating tensions between the colonizers and the colonized.

During the Dutch colonial period in Sri Lanka (1658-1796), the Dutch East India Company, unlike the Portuguese, did not actively engage in widespread conversion efforts aimed at Buddhists and Hindus. While the Dutch were primarily interested in trade and maintaining control over strategic coastal areas, there were some limited attempts at conversion, albeit with less zeal than their Portuguese predecessors. While they did not actively promote conversion to Christianity, they also did not prohibit it, and individuals were free to convert if they chose to do so.

However, during the Dutch colonial period in Sri Lanka, Catholics, particularly those who adhered to Roman Catholicism, which had been promoted by the Portuguese colonizers, faced persecution and restrictions imposed by the Dutch authorities. This persecution was primarily due to religious differences and political tensions between the Dutch Protestant rulers and the Catholic population.

Despite the lack of active conversion efforts, the Dutch did establish Christian institutions such as churches and schools in Sri Lanka. These institutions served the small Christian population of Dutch settlers and employees, as well as the indigenous population who had converted to Christianity.

During the British colonial period in Sri Lanka which lasted from the early 19th century until the mid-20th century, British missionaries and colonial administrators again began to convert Buddhists and Hindus to Christianity. However, unlike the Portuguese, the British approach to conversion was often more subtle and indirect, with a greater emphasis on education, social services, and cultural influence.

British missionaries, representing various Christian denominations such as Anglicans, Methodists, and Baptists, were active in Sri Lanka during the colonial period. They established schools, churches, and missions across the island, where they preached the Christian gospel and provided education and healthcare services.

Christianity in Sri Lanka today reflects a diverse and vibrant community that has evolved over centuries of history and cultural exchange. Christians make up a minority of Sri Lanka’s population, comprising approximately 7-8% of the total population. Roman Catholics constitute the largest Christian denomination in Sri Lanka, followed by various Protestant denominations.

Some Churches with Rich Histories

All Angels’ Church in Colpetty / Gal Palliya (කොල්ලුපිටිය ගල් පල්ලිය)
The Church of St. Michael and All Angels’ in Polwatte, Colombo 3, also known as the Gal Palliya by the locals, will more than surprise if not delight you with its architecture, artifacts and antiquities.
All Saint’s Church Holbrook in Agarapathana (ආගරපතන හෝල්බෲක් සියලු සාන්තුවරයන්ගේ දේවස්ථානය)
The All Saints’ Church of Agarapathana, built in 1893 on the Holbrook Estate, is a rare cross-shaped plantation church. Distinguished for its stone walls and shingle roof, it houses a historic Bible gifted from Surrey, England, in 1889, preserved amid the hills.
Christ Church Mutwal (මෝදර ක්‍රිස්තු දේවස්ථානය – ගල් පල්ලිය)
Built in 1854, the Christ Church Mutwal features a finely crafted Gothic screen and intricate stone carvings that reflect the colonial aesthetic of the period. Locally known as “Gal Palliya” (“Stone Church”) due to its enduring granite construction, it remains a prominent landmark in the Mutwal area worth visiting.
Christ Church Warleigh of Dickoya (දික්ඔය වෝර්ලි ක්‍රිස්තු දේවස්ථානය)
Christ Church Warleigh is a quaint Anglican church gifted by an Englishman, William Scot, in 1878 for the British planters of Dickoya.The stained glass windows delicately narrate the life of Christ, while an old Bible, carefully taped to preserve it from decay, is a treasured artifact. It was gifted in July 1878 by Reverend Charles…
Cinnamon Gardens Baptist Church (කුරුඳුවත්ත බැප්ටිස්ට් පල්ලිය)
Located by the busy Lipton Roundabout in Colombo, built in 1883, Cinnamon Gardens Baptist Church is a welcoming and supportive Christian community known for its warm and inclusive atmosphere. The church conducts services in Tamil, Sinhala, and English every Sunday, along with a trilingual Sunday school.
Dutch Reformed Church of Galle (ගාල්ල ඕලන්ද රෙපරමාදු පල්ලිය)
The Dutch Reformed Church, with gables on the eastern and western walls, but no tower, was completed in 1755. It is similar in style to the ones in Negapatnam and Cochin in India, even including the walls. It is built on the site of an earlier Portuguese convent. Around the church and within the walls…
Dutch Reformed Church of Kalpitiya (කල්පිටිය ඕලන්ද රෙපරමාදු පල්ලිය)
By 1610, the Portuguese had established a small Christian mission on the Kalpitiya peninsula with two priests, and a church was built in Kalpitiya. This church successfully converted most of the local population to Christianity, with the exception of some of the Moorcommunity.
Dutch Reformed Church of Matara (මාතර ඕලන්ද රෙපරමාදු පල්ලිය)
The Dutch Reformed Church of Matara is nestled within the walls of the historic Matara Fort, initially built by the Dutch. The fortification of Matara took place around five years The building was erected in 1706, according to an inscription over the doorway. During subsequent repairs and improvements this date has been obliterated and another…
Haputale St. Andrew’s Church (හපුතලේ ශාන්ත ඇන්ඩෲ දේවස්ථානය)
St. Andrew’s Church in Haputale, consecrated on September 19, 1869, stands as this symbol of colonial-era architecture and history. Tucked amidst old graves atop a misty hill, the church serves not only as a place of worship but also as a heritage site, attracting both local and international visitors.
Historic Christ Church of Galle Face (ගාලු මුවදොර ඓතිහාසික ක්‍රිස්තු දේවස්ථානය)
Hidden behind foliage, near the Ramada Hotel and next to the Freemasonic Temple, lies one of the oldestchurches of Sri Lanka. Initially built in Kabook in 1864 and rebuilt in cement in 1898, it was designed by British architect R. W. Edis for the Church Missionary Society.
Historic St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk Church in Colombo (කොළඹ ඓතිහාසික ශාන්ත ඇන්ඩෲ ස්කොට් කර්ක් දේවස්ථානය)
Nestled along the bustling stretch of Galle Road in Colpetty, St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk (built in 1906) stands as a serene and dignified witness to Colombo’s colonial past. With its whitewashed Gothic spires and pointed arches rising above the tropical foliage, the church is more than just a place of worship—it is a living monument…
Historic St. Peters Church of Colombo Fort (ඓතිහාසික කොළඹ කොටුව ශාන්ත පීටර්ස් දේවස්ථානය)
Tucked away behind the Grand Oriental Hotel, St. Peter’s Church presents an unassuming stone façade that hardly resembles a place of worship. This is because it was never intended to be one. Originally constructed as the banquet hall of the Dutch Governor’s residence, the building underwent a transformation when the British took control of Colombo.
Holy Emmanuel’s Church of Hanguranketha (හඟුරන්කෙත ශුද්ධවූ එම්මානුවෙල් පල්ලිය)
Built in 1886 by the philanthropist Charles Henry de Soysa, Holy Emmanuel’s Church of Hanguranketha is one of the oldest Churches in the district of Nuwara Eliya. A special feature found in this church is a stone moonstone near its main entrance. Such moonstones are generally found in Buddhist shrines and buildings near its main…
Holy Trinity Church of Nuwara Eliya (නුවරඑළිය ශුද්ධ වූ ත්‍රිත්ව දේවස්ථානය)
Tucked away in Sri Lanka’s cool hill country, the Holy Trinity Church in Nuwara Eliya is a quiet reminder of the British colonial era. With over 170 years of history, this charming Anglican church holds many fascinating stories within its stone walls. The church’s story dates back to 1837, initially planned to serve the European…
Holy Trinity Church of Patuwatha (පටුවත ශුද්ධ ත්‍රිත්වය දේවස්ථානය)
Nestled between the Indian Ocean and the main Galle Road, just 6.5 kilometers south of Hikkaduwa on the way to Galle, stands the charming and historic Holy Trinity Church in Patuwatha. This small yet picturesque church, consecrated on 22 October 1875, has been a quiet spiritual landmark for nearly a one and a half century.
Kappa Kovil (Portuguese Church) Ruins in Mannar (මන්නාරම කප්පා කෝවිල නටබුන්)
The architectural features of this building resemble those of a church. The dilapidated building belongs to the Portuguese Period. There is no roof in the building and the thickness of a wall is about 2m. Specially prepared bricks have been used and the length, width and height of a brick are 1 foot, 8 inches…
Katchatheevu Island of Sri Lanka and the St. Anthony’s Festival
Katchatheevu (Kachchativu) is a small 163-acre (0.66 square kilometers), barren, uninhabited island located in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. It lies right in the center of Rameswaram in India and Delft Island of Sri Lanka with about 20km on both sides.
Kochchikade St. Anthony’s Shrine (කොච්චිකඩේ ශාන්ත අන්තෝනි දෙව්මැදුර)
St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade in Kotahena was established in the 18th century when the Catholicism was a proscribed religion by the Dutch and priests could not exercise their ministry in public. It was one of the churches bombed during the easter attack of 2019.
Madhu Church: From Pattini Shrine to Catholic Church (මඩු පල්ලිය)
Madhu is a mystic jungle shrine dedicated to Mother Mary lying on a remote area in Mannar. The church is one of the few churches which is visited by Buddhists as well as Hindus from all over the country.
Nallur St James’ Church (යාපනය නල්ලුර් ශාන්ත ජේම්ස් පල්ලිය)
St James’ church in Nallur, is a one of the grandest British churches in Jaffna peninsula. It was opened in 1828 on the site of the original Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil which was destroyed by the Portuguese.

Some Churches with Rich Histories

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