St Matthias’ Church, Lakshapathiya

St Matthias’ Church
Basic information
Location Lakshapathiya, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates 06°47′57.1″N 79°52′41.4″E / 6.799194°N 79.878167°E / 6.799194; 79.878167Coordinates: 06°47′57.1″N 79°52′41.4″E / 6.799194°N 79.878167°E / 6.799194; 79.878167
Affiliation Anglican
District Colombo
Province Western Province
Year consecrated 26 February 1876
Status Active
Architectural description
Architectural type Church
Founder Charles Henry de Soysa[1]
Groundbreaking 24 February 1872
Completed 1875

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 Rt. Revd. Dr. Reginald Stephen Copleston, the 4th 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 few years Rev. Mendis conceived an 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 the Rt. Revd. Hugh Willoughby Jermyn, the 3rd 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 Rev. A. Mendis, Rev. J. Bacon, Mudaliyar Susew de Soysa, and the land donor Charles Henry de Soysa. By the end of the year 1875 the construction work was finished and the church was consecrated on St. Matthias’ Day, 24 February 1876 by the Rt. Revd. Dr. Reginald Stephen Copleston (the 4th Bishop of Colombo).[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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