Colombo (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, Cardinal, Archbishop
Jayakody Aratchige Don Anton Jayakody, Auxiliary Bishop
Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam, Auxiliary Bishop
Sampathawaduge Maxwell Grenville Silva, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 22 May 1972
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Sri Lanka
Square Kilometers: 3,684 (1,422 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.archdioceseofcolombo.com/
Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, 976 Gnanartha Pradeepaya Mawatha, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka
Telephone: (011)2695-471/2/3
Fax: 2692-009

Historical Details

Diocese of Ceylon
- Erected: 3 December 1834
- Country: Sri Lanka
Diocese of Colombo
- Latin Name: Columbensis
- Name Changed: 17 February 1845
- Country: Sri Lanka
Archdiocese of Colombo
- Latin Name: Columbensis
- Elevated: 1 September 1886
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Sri Lanka
Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon
- Latin Name: Columbensis in Ceylon
- Name Changed: 6 December 1944
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Sri Lanka

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francisco Xavier, C.O. † (3 Dec 1834 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Vincent del Rosario, C.O. † (23 Dec 1836 Appointed - 29 Apr 1842 Died)
Charles William Russell † (20 Sep 1842 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Gaetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O. † (24 May 1843 Appointed - 25 Jan 1857 Died)
Giuseppe Maria Bravi, O.S.B. † (25 Jan 1857 Succeeded - 15 Aug 1860 Died)
Hilarion Sillani (Silani), O.S.B. † (22 Sep 1863 Appointed - 27 Mar 1879 Died)
Clemente Pagnani, O.S.B. † (11 Nov 1879 Appointed - 20 Apr 1883 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Kandy)
Christophe-Ernest Bonjean, O.M.I. † (20 Apr 1883 Appointed - 3 Aug 1892 Died)
André-Théophile Mélizan, O.M.I. † (5 Mar 1893 Appointed - 27 Jun 1905 Died)
Antoine Coudert, O.M.I. † (27 Jun 1905 Succeeded - 31 Mar 1929 Died)
Pierre-Guillaume Marque, O.M.I. † (16 Dec 1929 Appointed - 4 Jun 1937 Died)
Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I. † (14 Jun 1938 Appointed - 28 Jul 1947 Died)
Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I. † (26 Jul 1947 Succeeded - 2 Sep 1976 Retired)
Nicholas Marcus Fernando † (21 Mar 1977 Appointed - 6 Jul 2002 Resigned)
Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis † (6 Jul 2002 Appointed - 16 Jun 2009 Retired)
Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (16 Jun 2009 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Ceylon
3 December 1834	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Cochin {Cocincina}	Diocese of Ceylon (erected)
17 February 1845	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ceylon	Vicariate Apostolic of Jaffna (erected)
Diocese of Colombo
17 February 1845	Name Changed	Diocese of Ceylon	Diocese of Colombo
20 April 1883	Territory Lost	Diocese of Colombo	Vicariate Apostolic of Kandy (erected)
Archdiocese of Colombo
1 September 1886	Elevated	Diocese of Colombo	Archdiocese of Colombo
7 June 1887	Elevated		Archdiocese of Colombo (became a Metropolitan)
25 August 1893	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Colombo	Diocese of Galle (erected)
25 August 1893	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Colombo Diocese of Jaffna	Diocese of Trincomalee (erected)
5 January 1939	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Colombo (North-Western Province)	Diocese of Chilaw (erected)
Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon
6 December 1944	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Colombo	Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon
Archdiocese of Colombo
22 May 1972	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon	Archdiocese of Colombo

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon

1950 291,210 1,876,904 15.5% 38 128 166 1,754 130 933 70 ap1951

1969 395,610 2,840,110 13.9% 102 118 220 1,798 307 1,101 82 ap1971

Archdiocese of Colombo

1980 491,303 3,696,000 13.3% 109 73 182 2,699 3 273 1,133 93 ap1981

1990 553,610 4,320,000 12.8% 156 109 265 2,089 240 1,099 105 ap1991

1999 547,565 4,605,527 11.9% 205 139 344 1,591 1 288 1,020 120 ap2000

2000 557,387 4,615,349 12.1% 210 141 351 1,587 1 284 1,035 123 ap2001

2001 567,833 5,027,268 11.3% 209 138 347 1,636 345 1,013 123 ap2002

2002 629,173 5,361,042 11.7% 234 138 372 1,691 335 939 123 ap2003

2003 629,173 5,455,679 11.5% 237 135 372 1,691 213 1,051 123 ap2004

2004 648,184 5,522,956 11.7% 248 153 401 1,616 248 1,104 123 ap2005

2006 700,000 5,692,004 12.3% 255 268 523 1,338 382 1,161 123 ap2007

2013 667,335 7,226,274 9.2% 298 279 577 1,156 380 1,400 127 ap2014

2016 672,149 6,134,642 11.0% 341 149 490 1,371 245 1,248 130 ap2017

2019 697,000 6,300,000 11.1% 352 189 541 1,288 302 751 132 ap2020

2021 693,035 6,165,000 11.2% 373 143 516 1,343 264 1,011 137 ap2022

2023 693,483 6,224,540 11.1% 373 179 552 1,256 300 1,023 144 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Colombo in Ceylon
1950	291,210	1,876,904	15.5%	38	128	166	1,754		130	933	70	ap1951
1969	395,610	2,840,110	13.9%	102	118	220	1,798		307	1,101	82	ap1971
Archdiocese of Colombo
1980	491,303	3,696,000	13.3%	109	73	182	2,699	3	273	1,133	93	ap1981
1990	553,610	4,320,000	12.8%	156	109	265	2,089		240	1,099	105	ap1991
1999	547,565	4,605,527	11.9%	205	139	344	1,591	1	288	1,020	120	ap2000
2000	557,387	4,615,349	12.1%	210	141	351	1,587	1	284	1,035	123	ap2001
2001	567,833	5,027,268	11.3%	209	138	347	1,636		345	1,013	123	ap2002
2002	629,173	5,361,042	11.7%	234	138	372	1,691		335	939	123	ap2003
2003	629,173	5,455,679	11.5%	237	135	372	1,691		213	1,051	123	ap2004
2004	648,184	5,522,956	11.7%	248	153	401	1,616		248	1,104	123	ap2005
2006	700,000	5,692,004	12.3%	255	268	523	1,338		382	1,161	123	ap2007
2013	667,335	7,226,274	9.2%	298	279	577	1,156		380	1,400	127	ap2014
2016	672,149	6,134,642	11.0%	341	149	490	1,371		245	1,248	130	ap2017
2019	697,000	6,300,000	11.1%	352	189	541	1,288		302	751	132	ap2020
2021	693,035	6,165,000	11.2%	373	143	516	1,343		264	1,011	137	ap2022
2023	693,483	6,224,540	11.1%	373	179	552	1,256		300	1,023	144	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Orazio Bettacchini, C.O. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 6 May 1845 to 28 Aug 1849)
Christophe-Ernest Bonjean, O.M.I. † (Vicar Apostolic: 20 Apr 1883; Archbishop: 25 Nov 1886 to 3 Aug 1892)
Giuseppe Maria Bravi, O.S.B. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 3 Aug 1849; Vicar Apostolic: 25 Jan 1857 to 15 Aug 1860)
Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 14 Dec 1945; Archbishop: 26 Jul 1947 to 2 Sep 1976)
Antoine Coudert, O.M.I. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 28 Jun 1898; Archbishop: 27 Jun 1905 to 31 Mar 1929)
Edmund Joseph Fernando, O.M.I. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Apr 1968 to 5 Dec 1983)
Frank Marcus Fernando † (Priest: 22 Dec 1956; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Jul 1965 to 8 Jun 1968)
Nicholas Marcus Fernando † (Priest: 20 Dec 1959; Archbishop: 21 Mar 1977 to 6 Jul 2002)
Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis † (Priest: 3 Feb 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Apr 1968 to 2 Nov 1995; Archbishop: 6 Jul 2002 to 16 Jun 2009)
Pierre-Guillaume Marque, O.M.I. † (Archbishop: 16 Dec 1929 to 4 Jun 1937)
Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I. † (Archbishop: 14 Jun 1938 to 28 Jul 1947)
André-Théophile Mélizan, O.M.I. † (Archbishop: 5 Mar 1893 to 27 Jun 1905)
Gaetano Antonio Mulsuce, C.O. † (Vicar Apostolic: 24 May 1843 to 25 Jan 1857)
Leo Nanayakkara, O.S.B. †
Clemente Pagnani, O.S.B. † (Vicar Apostolic: 11 Nov 1879 to 20 Apr 1883)
Anthony Leopold Raymond Peiris † (Priest: 20 Dec 1958 to 15 May 1987)
Vincent Marius Joseph Peiris † (Priest: 25 Jan 1972; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Nov 2000 to 4 Apr 2018)
Jerome Emilianus Pillai, O.M.I. †
Vincent del Rosario, C.O. † (Vicar Apostolic: 23 Dec 1836 to 29 Apr 1842)
Charles William Russell † (Vicar Apostolic: 20 Sep 1842 - Did Not Take Effect)
Anthony de Saram † (Priest: 25 Mar 1941; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Dec 1962 to 22 Mar 1965)
Hilarion Sillani (Silani), O.S.B. † (Vicar Apostolic: 22 Sep 1863 to 27 Mar 1879)
Francisco Xavier, C.O. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Dec 1834 - Did Not Take Effect)

Source(s)

Diocese of Ceylon
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 119, to Page 120
Diocese of Colombo
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 120

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Archdiocese of Colombo

Archidioecesis Columbensis in Taprobane