All Saints' Church, Borella
All Saints' Church is a Catholic church located in Borella,[1] Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo and belongs to the Borella parish.
All Saints' Church, Borella | |
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![]() The main nave of Saints' Church, Borella | |
General information | |
Type | Church |
Architectural style | Gothic |
Location | Borella, Colombo-8, Sri Lanka |
Coordinates | 6°55′15.13″N 79°52′30.43″E |
Construction started | 24 August 1935 |
Owner | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo |
History
The beginnings of the church date back to 1884, when Wyndham Thompson, wife of the Superintendent of the Convict Establishment (Welikada Prisons) and an enthusiastic Irish Catholic lady, met the Governor and reserved 0.81 ha (2 acres) from the 8.1 ha (20 acres) allocated to the Campbell park to build a church. This church was dedicated to All Saints and the foundation for the current church was laid on 24 August 1935.[2][3]
Interior
The interior of the church is very colorful[2] with stained glass windows with the main window above the altar depicting Mother of Perpetual Help. The church also features a carillon made up of 25 bells cast in West Germany with each bell having a name of a saint. The church has a balcony for the choir.
Notable people
- Fr. John Herath (Parish Priest, 1948-1977)[4]
References
- "All Saints' Church | Attractions in Sri Lanka". Time Out Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
- "All Saints Church, Borella: Unique bell tower in Asia". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- "All Saints Church, Borella: Where the carillon chimes". Sunday Observer. 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- "The annual feast of All Saints' Church". Ceylon Today. Retrieved 2015-12-24.