Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Colombo / Columben(sis) in Taprobane (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Chilaw, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala, Mannar, Ratnapura, Trincomalee

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of the Assumption (August 15)

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1834.12.03: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Ceylon (from Diocese of Cochin)
1845.02.17: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Colombo / Columben(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Jaffna)
1883.04.20: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Kandy
1886.09.01: Promoted as Archdiocese of Colombo / Columben(sis) (Latin)
1887.06.07: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo / Columben(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Jaffna and Kandy)
1893.08.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Galle and Diocese of Trincomalee and gained suffragan sees Galle and Trincomalee
1939.01.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Chilaw and gained suffragan see Chilaw
1944.12.06: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon / Columbensis in Ceylon (Latin)
1972.05.22: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo / Columben(sis) in Taprobane (Latin)
1972.12.18: Gained suffragan see Badulla
1975.12.19: Gained suffragan see Anuradhapura
1981.01.24: Gained suffragan see Mannar
1987.05.15: Gained suffragan see Kurunegala
1995.11.02: Gained suffragan see Ratnapura
2012.07.03: Gained suffragan see Batticaloa

Papal Visits

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2009.06.16 – ...):	Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (76) Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina
Auxiliary Bishop (2011.11.28 – ...):	Bishop Sampathawaduge Maxwell Grenville Silva (70) Titular Bishop of Lesina
Auxiliary Bishop (2018.04.04 – ...):	Bishop Jayakody Aratchige Don Anton Jayakody (65) Titular Bishop of Mulli General Secretary of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka
Auxiliary Bishop (2020.07.13 – ...):	Bishop Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam (57) Titular Bishop of Materiana

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Colombo (Roman Rite)

Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (76)
(2009.06.16 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina
Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka)

Verbum caro factum est

Born:	1947.11.15 (Polgahawela, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1975.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1991.08.31
Created Cardinal:	2010.11.20

Priest of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1975.06.29 – 1991.06.17)

Titular Bishop of Cabarsussi (1991.06.17 – 1995.11.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1991.06.17 – 1995.11.02)

Bishop of Ratnapura (Sri Lanka) (1995.11.02 – 2001.10.01)

Archbishop ad personam (2001.10.01 – 2004.04.29)

Adjunct Secretary of Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples (2001.10.01 – 2005.12.10)

Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia (2004.04.29 – 2005.12.10)

Apostolic Nuncio to Timor-Leste (2004.04.29 – 2005.12.10)

Titular Archbishop of Umbriatico (2004.04.29 – 2009.06.16)

Secretary of Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2005.12.10 – 2009.06.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (2009.06.16 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (2010.04 – 2017.02.21)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina (2010.11.20 [2011.02.13] – ...)

Vice-President of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (2018.11.16 [2019.01.01] – 2025.01.01)

Archbishop Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis
(2002.07.06 – 2009.06.16)

All for love

Born:	1932.12.12 (Kelaniya, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1958.02.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.07.17
Died:	2023.02.03 (Colombo, Sri Lanka † 90)

Priest of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1958.02.03 – 1968.04.09)

Titular Bishop of Mulia (1968.04.09 – 1995.11.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1968.04.09 – 1995.11.02)

Bishop of Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) (1995.11.02 – 2002.07.06)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (1998 – 2004)

President of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (2000 – 2005)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (2002.07.06 – 2009.06.16)

Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando
(1977.03.21 – 2002.07.06)

Christus Dominus

Born:	1932.12.06 (Munnakkara, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1959.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.05.14
Died:	2020.04.10 (Ragama, Sri Lanka † 87)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1977.03.21 – 2002.07.06)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (1989 – 1995)

Cardinal Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I.
(1972.05.22 – 1976.09.02)

Ministrare non ministrari

Born:	1901.12.28 (Periyamulla Negombo, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1929.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.03.07
Created Cardinal:	1965.02.22
Died:	1988.10.29 (Tewatta Ragama, Sri Lanka † 86)

Titular Archbishop of Preslavus (1945.12.14 – 1947.07.28)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1945.12.14 – 1947.07.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1947.07.28 – 1972.05.22)

Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo (1965.02.25 – 1988.10.29)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (1970 – 1977)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1972.05.22 – 1976.09.02)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Colombo in Ceylon (Roman Rite)

Cardinal Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I.
(1947.07.28 – 1972.05.22)

(see above)

Archbishop Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I.
(1944.12.06 – 1947.07.28)

Born:	1876.03.21 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1901.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.08.24
Died:	1947.07.28 († 71)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1938.06.13 – 1944.12.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1944.12.06 – 1947.07.28)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Colombo (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I.
(1938.06.13 – 1944.12.06)

(see above)

Archbishop Pierre-Guillaume Marque, O.M.I.
(1929.12.16 – 1937.06.04)

Born:	1882.11.23 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.02.11
Died:	1937.06.04 († 54)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1929.12.16 – 1937.06.04)

Archbishop Antoine Coudert, O.M.I.
(1905.06.27 – 1929.03.31)

Born:	1861.01.02 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1886.04.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1898.11.30
Died:	1929.03.31 († 68)

Titular Archbishop of Balaneæ (1898.07.18 – 1905.06.27)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1898.07.18 – 1905.06.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1905.06.27 – 1929.03.31)

Archbishop André-Théophile Mélizan, O.M.I.
(1893.04.15 – 1905.06.27)

De cœlo robur et solatium

Born:	1844.09.27 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1880.01.24
Died:	1905.06.27 († 60)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) (1879.07.18 – 1883.04.20)

Titular Bishop of Adrana (1879.07.18 – 1886.09.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) (1883.04.20 – 1886.09.01)

Bishop of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) (1886.09.01 – 1893.04.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1893.04.15 – 1905.06.27)

Archbishop Christophe-Etienne Bonjean, O.M.I.
(1886.09.01 – 1892.08.03)

Born:	1823.09.23 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1846.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.08.28
Died:	1892.08.03 († 68)

Vicar Apostolic of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) ([1868.07.05] 1868.07.24 – 1883.04.20)

Titular Bishop of Medea (1868.07.24 – 1886.09.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1883.04.20 – 1886.09.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1886.09.01 – 1892.08.03)

Vicars Apostolic of Colombo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Christophe-Etienne Bonjean, O.M.I. (later Archbishop)
(1883.04.20 – 1886.09.01)

(see above)

Bishop Clemente Pagnani, O.S.B. Silv.
(1879.11.12 – 1883.04.20)

Born:	1834.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1879.12.25
Died:	1911.06 († 77)

Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1879.11.12 – 1883.04.20)

Titular Bishop of Hephæstum (1879.11.12 – 1886.09.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Kandy (Sri Lanka) (1883.04.20 – 1886.09.01)

Bishop of Kandy (Sri Lanka) (1886.09.01 – 1911.06)

Bishop Hilarion Silani, O.S.B. Silv.
(1863.09.17 – 1879.03.27)

Died:

1879.03.27

Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1863.09.17 – 1879.03.27)

Titular Bishop of Callinicum (1863.09.22 – 1879.03.27)

Bishop Giuseppe Maria Bravi, O.S.B. Silv.
(1857.01.25 – 1860.08.15)

Born:	1813.12.06 (Italy)
Died:	1860.08.15 († 46)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1849.08.03 – 1857.01.25)

Titular Bishop of Tipasa (1849.08.03 – 1860.08.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1857.01.25 – 1860.08.15)

Bishop Caetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O.
(1845.02.17 – 1857.01.25)

Born:	(India)
Died:	1857.01.25

Vicar Apostolic of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1843.05.24 – 1845.02.17)

Titular Bishop of Usula (1843.05.24 – 1857.01.25)

Vicar Apostolic of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1845.02.17 – 1857.01.25)

Vicars Apostolic of Ceylon (Roman Rite)

Bishop Caetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O.
(1843.05.24 – 1845.02.17)

(see above)

Bishop Vicente do Rosayro, C.O.
(1836.12.23 – 1842.04.29)

Born:	(India)
Died:	1842.04.29

Titular Bishop of Thaumaci (1836.12.23 – 1842.04.29)

Vicar Apostolic of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1836.12.23 – 1842.04.29)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I. (later Cardinal) (1945.12.14 – 1947.07.28)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Antoine Coudert, O.M.I. (1898.07.18 – 1905.06.27)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Giuseppe Maria Bravi, O.S.B. Silv. (1849.08.03 – 1857.01.25)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Orazio Bettacchini, C.O. (1845.05.06 – 1847.09.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando (75) (2011.11.28 – 2017.11.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vincent Marius Joseph Peiris (2000.11.16 – 2018.04.04)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (76) (later Cardinal) (1991.06.17 – 1995.11.02)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis (later Archbishop) (1968.04.09 – 1995.11.02)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Edmund Joseph Fernando, O.M.I. (1968.04.09 – 1983.12.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando (1965.07.06 – 1968.06.08)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Anthony de Saram (1962.12.27 – 1965.03.22)