Diocese of Chilaw, Sri Lanka

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Chilaw / Chilaven(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Colombo

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1939.01.05: Established as Diocese of Chilaw / Chilaven(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo and became suffragan of Colombo)
1987.05.15: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kurunegala

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.12.06 – ...):

Bishop Arachchige Don Wimal Siri Appuhamy Jayasuriya (55)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Chilaw (Roman Rite)

Bishop Arachchige Don Wimal Siri Appuhamy Jayasuriya (55)
(2023.12.06 – ...)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka)

Born:	1969.01.23 (Negombo, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1997.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.03.02

Priest of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1997.08.09 – 2023.12.06)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (2023.12.06 – ...)

Bishop Warnakulasurya Wadumestrige Devasritha Valence Mendis (66)
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.10.09 – 2023.12.06)

Bishop Warnakulasurya Wadumestrige Devasritha Valence Mendis (66)
(2006.10.19 – 2021.10.09)

Bishop of Kandy (Sri Lanka)

Justitiæ et pax

Born:	1958.05.21 (Koralawella, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1985.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.04.02

Priest of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1985.07.20 – 2005.01.17)

Coadjutor Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (2005.01.17 – 2006.10.19)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (2006.10.19 – 2021.10.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (2021.10.09 – 2023.12.06)

Bishop of Kandy (Sri Lanka) (2021.10.09 – ...)

Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando
(1972.12.27 – 2006.10.19)

Born:	1931.10.19 (Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1956.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.08.19
Died:	2009.08.24 († 77)

Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1965.07.06 – 1968.06.08)

Titular Bishop of Oliva (1965.07.06 – 1972.12.27)

Coadjutor Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1968.06.08 – 1972.12.27)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1972.12.27 – 2006.10.19)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (1980 – 1989)

Bishop Edmund Peiris, O.M.I.
(1940.01.12 – 1972.12.27)

Born:	1897.12.27 (Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1924.02.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.04.25
Died:	1989.09.04 († 91)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1940.01.12 – 1972.12.27)

Fr. Louis Perera, O.M.I.
(1939.01.05 – 1939.04.08)

Born:	1896 (Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1921
Died:	1939.04.08 († 42)

Bishop of Chilaw (Sri Lanka) (1939.01.05 – 1939.04.08)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Warnakulasurya Wadumestrige Devasritha Valence Mendis (66) (2005.01.17 – 2006.10.19)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando (1968.06.08 – 1972.12.27)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Chilaw, North Western
National Shrine: National Shrine of St. Anne, Kattimahana, North Western
National Shrine: National Shrine of St. Anne, Thalawila, North Western
National Shrine: National Shrine of the Holy Cross, Marawila, North Western

Mannar (↑), Anuradhapura (↗), Kurunegala (→), Colombo (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,076 km²

Population: 319,833 Catholics (33.3% of 960,856 total)

Pastoral Centres: 50 parishes, 10 missions

Personnel: 152 priests (122 diocesan, 30 religious), 242 religious (43 brothers, 199 sisters), 31 seminarians