St Matthias’ Church
Religion
AffiliationAnglican
DistrictColombo
ProvinceWestern Province
Year consecrated26 February 1876 (1876-02-26)
StatusActive
Location
LocationLakshapathiya, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates06°47′57.1″N 79°52′41.4″E / 6.799194°N 79.878167°E / 6.799194; 79.878167
Architecture
TypeChurch
FounderCharles Henry de Soysa[1]
Groundbreaking24 February 1872
Completed1875

St Matthias’ Church, is a church in Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. The church is located in Lakshapathiya approximately 1.1 km (0.68 mi) away from the Soysapura junction on Colombo-Galle main road (A2). It was consecrated on 24 February 1876 (St. Matthias’ Day) by Reginald Stephen Copleston, the fourth Bishop of Colombo.

History

The first church school in Lakshapathiya was opened in 1849, and the school building was used as the place for the church services on Sunday. In 1861, there was an idea to establish a church in Lakshapathiya when Abraham Mendis was appointed as the colonial Chaplain for Moratuwa area. After a few years, Mendis conceived the idea of having a day school festival and at that time there were only two schools namely Rawatawatte School and Laxapathiya School. On 15 December 1869 the school festival was taken place and at the occasion Charles Henry de Soysa, a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist, agreed to assist in building a new church for the village.[2]

The foundation stone for the church in Lakshapthiya was laid on 24 February 1872 by Hugh Willoughby Jermyn, the third Bishop of Colombo. A bottle containing different coins of Ceylon and an inscription engraved on a metal plate were also laid with the foundation stone.[3] The occasion was attended by the chaplain Mendis, Rev. J. Bacon, Mudaliyar Susew de Soysa, and de Soysa. By the end of 1875 the construction work was completed and the church was consecrated on 24 February 1876, St. Matthias’ Day, by the Bishop of Colombo, Reginald Stephen Copleston.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Charles Henry de Soysa's 176th birth anniversary". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 "St. Matthias' Church, Lakshapathiya, Moratuwa – 125th Anniversary". The Island (Sri Lanka). Upali Newspapers. 13 March 2001. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "St. Matthias' Church, Lakshapathiya". Diocese of Colombo. Retrieved 29 July 2017.


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