Diocese of Galle, Sri Lanka

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Galle / Gallen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Colombo

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: St. Mary

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1893.08.25: Established as Diocese of Galle / Gallen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo and became suffragan of Colombo)
1995.11.02: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ratnapura

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.05.27 – ...):

Bishop Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe (62)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Galle (Roman Rite)

Bishop Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe (62)
(2011.05.27 – ...)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka)

Solus Christus

Born:	1962.08.31 (Uthuwankanda, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1989.08.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.08.31

Priest of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1989.08.05 – 2011.05.27)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (2011.05.27 – ...)

Bishop Harold Anthony Perera (73)
(2005.02.15 – 2009.05.14)

Bishop of Kurunegala (Sri Lanka)
President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka

Caritas est vinculum pacis

Born:	1951.06.09 (Bopitiya, Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1980.07.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.03.18

Priest of Colombo (Sri Lanka) (1980.07.05 – 2003.01.29)

Bishop of Ratnapura (Sri Lanka) (2003.01.29 – 2005.02.15)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (2005.02.15 – 2009.05.14)

Apostolic Administrator of Ratnapura (Sri Lanka) (2006.07 – 2007.05.04)

Bishop of Kurunegala (Sri Lanka) (2009.05.14 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (2022.06.10 – ...)

Fr. Terence Leange
(Apostolic Administrator 2004.10.11 – 2005.02.15)

Bishop Elmo Noel Joseph Perera
(1995.06.01 – 2004.10.11)

Born:	1932.12.04 (Sri Lanka)
Ordained Priest:	1960.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1993.01.06
Died:	2015.04.09 († 82)

Auxiliary Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1992.12.17 – 1993)

Titular Bishop of Gadiaufala (1992.12.17 – 1995.06.01)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1993 – 1995.06.01)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1995.06.01 – 2004.10.11)

Bishop Elmo Noel Joseph Perera
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 1993 – 1995.06.01)

Bishop Sylvester Wewitavidanelage
(1982.10.15 – 1995.06.01)

Born:	1924.11.27
Ordained Priest:	1956.03.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.12.11
Died:	1995.11.09 († 70)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1982.10.15 – 1995.06.01)

Bishop Anthony de Saram
(1965.03.22 – 1982.02.28)

Born:	1915.05.10
Ordained Priest:	1941.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.03.25
Died:	1982.02.28 († 66)

Titular Bishop of Tacapæ (1962.12.27 – 1965.03.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (1962.12.27 – 1965.03.22)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1965.03.22 – 1982.02.28)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (1977 – 1980)

Bishop Nicholas Laudadio, S.J.
(Apostolic Administrator 1964.05.26 – 1965.03.22)

Bishop Nicholas Laudadio, S.J.
(1934.05.28 – 1964.05.26)

Born:	1891.04.14
Ordained Priest:	1921.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.09.30
Died:	1969.04.01 († 77)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1934.05.28 – 1964.05.26)

Apostolic Administrator of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1964.05.26 – 1965.03.22)

Titular Bishop of Ala miliaria (1964.05.26 – 1969.04.01)

Bishop Gaston Robichez, S.J.
(Apostolic Administrator 1923 – 1934.05.28)

Bishop Joseph van Reeth, S.J.
(1895.01.11 – 1923.09.11)

Born:	1843.08.06 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1875.09.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1895.03.19
Died:	1923.09.11 († 80)

Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka) (1895.01.11 – 1923.09.11)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop-elect Elmo Noel Joseph Perera (1992.12.17 – 1993)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary, Galle, Southern
National Shrine: National Shrine of Our Lady of Matara, Matara, Southern
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Colombo (↑), Ratnapura (↑), Badulla (↗), Batticaloa (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,544 km²

Population: 9,100 Catholics (0.3% of 2,698,965 total)

Pastoral Centres: 17 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 44 priests (29 diocesan, 15 religious), 116 religious (23 brothers, 93 sisters), 9 seminarians