Cathedral of St. Lucia
Cathedral of St. Lucia things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Plan your stay
Posts
The construction did not go to plan, however, with work having to be halted in 1877 due to a lack of funds. The following years saw more problems, with Bishop Sillani dying in Rome in 1878, and Fr. Tabarrani leaving Ceylon in 1880 (and dying just two years later in Rome). Nevertheless, May 1880 saw Fr. Bonifiglio Baldoni take charge of the project, the four planned arches being completed by the end of August. Nearly a year later, "at 11.00, the last keystone was driven in place.” The work on most of the main portion of the cathedral, despite the many problems in funding, had been completed. The church celebrated "the Great Day", with Bishop Clement Pagnani (now Vicar Apostolic of Colombo) blessing the nave and the aisles of the new Cathedral and opening it for public worship. The highlight of the day was the first Holy Mass offered for the benefactors of the Cathedral. Construction was far from done, however, and in 1883 the new Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Bonjean, appointed Fr. Tanganelli to carry on the building of the cathedral. Less than a year later, both men had left Ceylon (Bonjean to Rome, and Tanganelli to China), leaving the project in the hands of Fr. Joseph Mary Louise Boisseau. Boisseau, by 1885, had completed work on the Sanctuary vault and the Southern vault, with the final one being completed in December of that year. It would not be until 1902, however, that the last of the work would be completed and the scaffolding removed. Pope Leo XIII, in his apostolic brief of 1885 conferred a number of privileges on St. Lucia’s Cathedral, one of which was it being declared the Cathedral Church of the 'Vicariate of Colombo’. Bishop Bonjean returned to the island soon after this, bringing with him an authentic portion of the bones of St. Lucy, which are preserved in the cathedral to this day. 6 January 1887 was a significant date for Catholicism in Ceylon: the Church's hierarchy was formally established, and the first Episcopal Synod was held in the country. A Papal Delegate and the Bishops of the Island were gathered in the Cathedral to witness this singular event in the history of the Church of Ceylon. On 12 December, the vigil for the feast of St. Lucy, the patroness of the newly completed Cathedral, was formally held. With construction still ongoing, September 1889 saw the crypt dedicated to the Sacred Passion of the Lord being declared open for public worship. The first Holy Mass was celebrated on the first Friday of that month. By the end of the construction project, the church had costed a total of Rs. 160,000- an enormous amount of money in the last century, provided by the Ceylonese Catholics of the time.
Kevin LivansonKevin Livanson
40
At a distance of 3 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, St. Lucia's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church located Kotahena locality of Colombo. The cathedral is considered the oldest and largest parish cathedral in Sri Lanka and among the top places to visit in Colombo. St. Lucia's Cathedral is dedicated to saint martyr St. Lucia who is considered to be the protector against all kinds of eye trouble. This is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo. The cathedral was first built as a small chapel of wood in 1760 when Ceylon was under Dutch occupation. This small structure was later replaced by a more massive shrine made of brick and mortar in the year 1782. St. Lucia's Cathedral became the first church of Sri Lanka after it was detached from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Goa. A plan was made in 1872, to build a new cathedral which took roughly 30 years and was fully completed in the year 1902. St Lucia's Cathedral is a massive structure built in the beautiful Gothic style of architecture. The facade of the church rests on massive ionic columns and it's adorned with seven statues. Silhouetted against the sky is the cross on the concrete lantern crowning the dome, the pinnacle of the cathedral. The interior consists of large statues of saints, beautiful wooden carvings and intricate glass stained windows. Rising above the main altar is a statue of Saint Lucy holding up her eyes on the palm of her hand. In front of the sanctuary, towards the left, one can see a dark-skinned statue of the Madonna referred to as 'Our Lady of Kotahena'. The highlight of the building is the 4300-pound bell named Anthony Thomas. The bell has intricate engravings of elaborate floral wreaths and holy figures and symbols of Christianity, and it is the largest of the four bells shipped from Marseilles and christened at the cathedral in 1903. It also has a unique pipe organ donated to the cathedral in 1934. This massive structure can easily host around 5000 worshippers. Timings: 5.30 AM - 12 PM & 2 PM - 7 PM Mass Timings: 6 AM, 7 AM and 6 PM from Monday to Friday & 5.30 AM (English), 7 AM (English), 8 AM (Sinhala), 9.15 AM (Tamil), 6 PM (English) on Sunday Entry: Free
THE TRAVELERTHE TRAVELER
20
This was the dream of Mgr, Hilarian Sillani OSB who started the demolition of the old church on 8th August 1873. The New church was solemnly blessed and opened to the public on 5th August 1881 by Mgr. Clement Pagnani OSB. The building was completed only in 1902. Fr. Tabarrabi who designed and supervised its construction, tried to reproduce the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Fr. Tabarrani, although already a member of a Religious order, considered himself a Sylvestrine Tertiary and wore the Sylvestrine habit and recited the Monastic office. He left the island in 1880 on account of his health and died a few months later in Rome. After his departure the construction work was carried on by Fr. B. Baldoni OSB.
Roshan Kalpa TharangaRoshan Kalpa Tharanga
90
This is the Cathedral of the archdiocese of Colombo. believed to be built by the Order of Sylvestro Benedictine Monks. the Boys School nereby hence, takes the title, St. Benedict's College. a landmark venue, standing on a busy neighbourhood. services are regular both on Sundays and weekdays. The Parish caters to Multi Lingual needs of the faithful, offering their service in English, Tamil and Sinhala
Priyantha AngodagePriyantha Angodage
20
The exterior of this Beautiful Cathedral is designed along the lines of St Peters Bascilica in Rome. The church is currently undergoing extensive restoration and repair. For those who are not familiar with St Lucy, she is the Patron Saint for those suffering from eye disorders. There is a small bookshop within the church premises that sells religious artefacts.
Dr ReviewsDr Reviews
00
It is a historic Roman Catholic church. The peaceful ambiance inside the cathedral provides a serene environment for prayer and reflection. Outside of the church have big space for parking and prayer meetings. ⛪✝️
PrajeethPrajeeth
00
Nearby Attractions Of Cathedral of St. Lucia
St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade
Sri Ponnambalavaneswarar Kovil
Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil
Tabligh Markaz مسجد
Pillaiar Temple
Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam
Shivam Kovil Colombo

St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade
4.8
(2.4K)Click for details

Sri Ponnambalavaneswarar Kovil
4.8
(873)Click for details

Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil
4.8
(717)Click for details

Tabligh Markaz مسجد
4.8
(147)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Cathedral of St. Lucia
Shri Vani Vilas
Flag & Whistle Restaurant Pub
Lanka Hotel
Hadramiah Premium Restaurant
BakeShop - Head Office & Factory Outlet
Ceylon Table
Puspams Chinese Restaurant
Old Bens Sports Club
Premil Sports Club
Eat & Drink Hotel And Restaurant

Shri Vani Vilas
4.1
(1.7K)Click for details

Flag & Whistle Restaurant Pub
4.3
(615)$$$
Click for details

Lanka Hotel
3.9
(339)Click for details

Hadramiah Premium Restaurant
4.2
(97)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
WVX7+7P5, Colombo 01300, Sri Lanka
Map
Phone
+94 112 432 080
Call
Website
facebook.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.7
(392 reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
family friendly
accessibility
Description
St. Lucia's Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The cathedral is located at Kotahena, in the north east of Colombo, on 18,240 sq. ft. of land. It traces its origins to a small structure for worship built during the Dutch occupation.
attractions: St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade, Sri Ponnambalavaneswarar Kovil, Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil, Tabligh Markaz مسجد, Pillaiar Temple, Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam, Shivam Kovil Colombo, restaurants: Shri Vani Vilas, Flag & Whistle Restaurant Pub, Lanka Hotel, Hadramiah Premium Restaurant, BakeShop - Head Office & Factory Outlet, Ceylon Table, Puspams Chinese Restaurant, Old Bens Sports Club, Premil Sports Club, Eat & Drink Hotel And Restaurant

- Please manually select your location for better experience