St Paul’s Church, Kynsey Road Celebrates 200 years of worship

The Church of St.Paul the Apostle, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8 celebrates 200 years of worship on September 18. The Celebration Sung High Mass will be held on the 18th at 5.30 p.m. presided over by Bishop of Colombo, the Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Canagasabay. A Mission Service will be held on September 17 at 5.30 p.m.

The parish was originally located in Pettah, then a residential locality in Colombo, the Church having been dedicated for worship in 1816, near the Old Town Hall as the first Anglican Church in the neighbourhood.

Although in use in 1816, the church was not consecrated until 1821 by the Bishop of Calcutta, who also had the responsibility for Ceylon. This first Church building served the Parish till 1845, when it was badly damaged by a fire caused by fireworks falling on the cadjan roof. Resisting the suggestions to move the Church to another site, the loyal parishioners insisted on restoring the Church exactly where it stood and it was brought back to use in 1846.

In 1926, the decision was made to sell the Church premises and use the funds to build a new church, in closer proximity to the homes of the people whom the church should nurture and serve.

The construction of this Church was initiated by Rev.Basil Jayawardene in June 1930. The church was built in Byzantine style based on the model of the St. Sophia Cathedral, in Istanbul.

The consecration of the church on Kynsey Road took place on January 24, 1934, on the eve of the feast of the Conversion of St.Paul the Apostle.

The Church today is known for an annual celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham and also for its long standing relationship with the Syrian Orthodox Church of Malabar