Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandy
| Diocese of Kandy Dioecesis Kandiensis கண்டி மாவட்ட | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Ecclesiastical province | Colombo |
| Metropolitan | Colombo |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 5,753 km2 (2,221 sq mi) |
| Population Total Catholics |
(as of 2011) 2,690,430 84,830 (3.2%) |
| Schools | St. Anthony's College, Kandy, Good shepherd convent, kandy |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St Anthony in Kandy |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Valence Mendis |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Malcolm Ranjith |
| Vicar General | Very Rev. Fr. Alvin Peter Fernando |
| Judicial Vicar | Rev. Fr. Colvin Fernandopulle |
| Bishops emeritus | Joseph Vianney Fernando |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
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 missionary Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The episcopal seat is St. Anthony’s Cathedral, in Kandy. The current bishop is Valence Mendis, appointed in 2021.
Statistics
As of 2014, it pastorally served 81,293 Catholics (3.2% of 2,578,000 total) on 5,733 km2 in 27 parishes and 2 missions with 51 priests (39 diocesan, 12 religious), 329 lay religious (149 brothers, 180 sisters) and 15 seminarians.
History
- Originally erected on 20 April 1883 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kandy, on territory split off from the then diocese of Colombo (soon promoted Archdiocese of Colombo, now its Metropolitan)
- Promoted to Diocese of Kandy on 1 September 1886, as a suffragan of the simultaneously elevated Archdiocese of Colombo.
- On 18 December 1972, part of the diocese was split off to form the Diocese of Badulla.
- The diocese invited the Comboni Missionary Sisters to establish a missionary presence in Talawakelle in 2012 to support the education of the local Tamil people.[1]
Episcopal ordinaries
- Apostolic Vicars of Kandy
- Clemente Pagnani, Sylvestrines (O.S.B.Silv.) (20 April 1883 Appointed - 1 September 1886), Titular Bishop of Hephæstum (1879.11.12 – 1886.09.01), first as Bishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1879.11.12 – 1883.04.20)
- Bishops of Kandy
- Clemente Pagnani, O.S.B.Silv. (1 September 1886 - death June 1911)
- Bede Beekmeyer, O.S.B.Silv. (19 April 1912 - death 22 May 1935)
- Bernardo Regno, O.S.B.Silv. (27 January 1936 - retired 24 September 1958), stayed on a while as Apostolic Administrator of Kandy (1958.09.24 – 1959.07.02), during emeritate as Titular Bishop of Bagai (1958.09.24 – 1971.01.26), died 1977
- Leo Nanayakkara, O.S.B.Silv. (2 July 1959 - 18 December 1972), next Bishop of Badulla (1972.12.18 – death 1982.05.28)
- Appasinghe Paul Perera (17 May 1973 - death 16 May 1989)
- Joseph Vianney Fernando (17 March 1983 - 9 October 2021), also President of Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (1995 – 1998 and 2004.04 – 2010.04)
- Valence Mendis (9 October 2021 – present)
See also
Sources and external links
- GCatholic, with Goggle satellite photo - data for all sections
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Diocese of Kandy
7°17′52″N 80°38′10″E / 7.2979°N 80.6362°E
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandy is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[2]
- Part of: Ecclesiastical Province of Colombo
External links
References
- Back to citation "Mission in Sri Lanka" in Comboni Mission, Spring 2026, page 15
- Back to citation Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandy, official website