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All Saints Church Galle celebrates its 150th anniversary

Published

4 years ago

2021/02/28

The 150th anniversary celebrations of All Saints Church, Galle were held on February 21, 2021 under the patronage of the Archdeacon of Galle, Ven. John Marshall.

Unfortunately, the historic event had to be curtailed in keeping with existing Covid-19 health regulations.

The Service of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Rt. Rev. Dushantha Rodrigo, Bishop of Colombo and Rt. Rev. Keerthisiri Fernando, Bishop of Kurunegala. The sermon was delivered by Bishop Keerthisiri Fernando, recapturing the history of Christians in Sri Lanka and the values of Saints as the church was named, reminding the congregation of all the Saints of the past.

Rt. Rev. Raymond Wickremasinghe, Bishop of Galle, with leaders of all religions and Christian denominations in Galle, were also present

Archdeacons and Clergy who served as Vicars and assistant priests in the Church in the past were among the gathering.

Although celebrations were limited without much fanfare, the congregation mingled with the clergy after the service, recalling the past and sharing the joyous occasion, which evoked many pleasant memories.

All Saints Church, Galle was built in 1868 under the guidance Rev. Dr. Piers Calveley Claughton, the second Bishop of Colombo and the leadership of Rev. Dr. George Justus Schrader, who was later Archdeacon of Colombo. The construction was completed in 1871, with the consecration taking place on February 21 that year.

According to historical records, 480 civil and 45 military personnel were present at the service and the day’s collection amounted to 105 Pounds, 10 shillings and four pence.

The All Saints Church is the finest specimen of an English Church of the 13th century architecture in Ceylon built in Victorian Gothic Revival style but modified to suit the local conditions. It was built with arches in local kabuk and strong lime mortar.

The heavy pews with Jewish emblems of David star were all done in Burma Teak. The most eye catching are the tall stained glass windows, a rare specimen of beauty. This edifice has withstood many moons and still stand out firm as a landmark of the historical Dutch fortress in Galle.

I thank God for allowing me to worship and serve in various capacities in the Church for more than five decades. I first stepped into the church in 1949 with my parents when my father (Late Rev. E. O. P. Welikala) was appointed the Vicar.

I pray that this beautiful church will serve many more Christians for generations to come.

– Lakshman Welikala,

Senior Member,

All Saints Church,

Galle.

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INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo

Published

21 mins ago

2025/04/7

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.

During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.

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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district

Published

5 hours ago

2025/04/7

Priyan

Color: -Red Warning (Take action) Color: -Amber Advisory (Be prepared) Color: -Green Threat is over

The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.

The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025

The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:

Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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“Census of Population and Housing 2024” Report Presented to the President

Published

6 hours ago

2025/04/7

Priyan

The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.

This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.

The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.

The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.