St. Lucia Cathedral in Kotahena

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Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest Catholic cathedral, founded in 1760 and rebuilt in 1901 in Venetian Renaissance style. Seating over 6,000, it features a grand façade with statues, a vast underground crypt, and the country’s largest bell, “Antony Thomas”. A landmark of Colombo’s Catholic heritage.

St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena is one of the largest and oldest Catholic churches in Colombo, serving as a landmark of faith and history.

Early Beginnings

The church was first founded in 1760 by the Oratorian Missionaries as a small chapel with a simple coconut-leaf thatched roof. In 1782, Father Nicholas Rodriguez replaced this with a more permanent structure. By 1820, the church had been renovated and became the headquarters of the Oratorian Missionaries. (Kaluarachchi, 2004)

With the appointment of Father Vincente Rozairo Dias as the first Vicar Apostolic in 1834, St. Lucia’s gained prominence as the first cathedral in the country.

Construction of the Present Cathedral

The current church, built in Venetian Renaissance style, was fully completed in 1901 (Casie Chitty, 1834) on the site of the old church, which had been demolished in 1873. Measuring 240 feet in length and 150 feet in breadth, the new cathedral was crowned with a cupola rising 170 feet above the ground. (Kaluarachchi, 2004)

A portion of the church was opened for worship in 1881, and by 1887, it was completed, able to accommodate more than 6,000 worshippers (Kaluarachchi, 2004) —an immense leap from the 500–600 capacity of the older church (Casie Chitty, 1834). Its inaugural service was held on 13 December 1887 by Archbishop Christopher Bonjean. The design was the work of Bishop Hillarian Sillani and Father Stanislaus Tabarrani, with construction carried out by the Walker Company, J.C. Gammons, and H.F. Tomalin.

Architectural Features

The cathedral reflects strong British influences in its design, with pointed arches dominating its façade. At the front, a statue of Saint Lucia is flanked by six other statues. Inside, beneath the main altar, lies a crypt measuring 12 x 12 meters. The maximum height of the cathedral reaches 50 meters. (Kaluarachchi, 2004)

The Great Bells

One of the cathedral’s most striking features is its massive bell, known as Antony Thomas, weighing 4,300 pounds and nearly one meter in diameter—one of the largest in Sri Lanka. Several other bells, all crafted by the renowned French company Georges & Francisque Paccard are also found at the church. (Kaluarachchi, 2004)

Legacy and Associated Institutions

St. Lucia’s Cathedral is more than a religious landmark; it has been at the heart of Catholic education and charity in Colombo. The College of St. Benedict was established in 1865 under its patronage, followed by the Convent of the Good Shepherd in 1869.

References

Casie Chitty, S. (1834). The Ceylon Gazetteer: Containing an Accurate Account of the Districts, Provinces, Cities, Towns, Principle Villages, Habours, Rivers, Lakes & Etc. of the Island of Ceylon. Cotta Church Mission Press.
Kaluarachchi, S. (2004). කොළඹ පුරාණය (Ancient Colombo). Sooriya Publishers.
Skeen, G. J. A. (1906). A Guide to Colombo : With Maps: A Handbook of Information, Useful Alike to the Visitor and the Resident (6th ed.). A. M. and J. Ferguson, “Observer” Office. (Original work published 1892)

Also See

Historical Churches of Sri Lanka

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