St. Philip Neri's Church, Udammita South, Ja-Ela

Stamp Bulletin No. 795 Commemorative Issue

St. Philip Neri's Church, Udammita South, Ja-Ela

First Day Cover

Block of 4

• Date of Issue : 26th May, 2012
• Denomination : Rs. 5.00
• Stamp Designer : Mewan Fonseka
• FDC Designer : Mewan Fonseka
• Stamp Size : 30mm * 41mm
• Format : Vertical
• Printing Process : Offset Lithography
• Sheet Composition : 100 stamps per sheet
• Perforation : 14 * 13 3/4
• Printers  : Department of Government Printing, Sri Lanka
• Colors : 4 Colors
• Paper : 102 gsm security stamp paper
• Gum :PVA
• Quantity Printed : 300,000

This Church which is over 250 years old is located in the midst of a Buddhist surrounding about one kilometer towards the East of the Dandugam Oya in the Dehiyagatha Parish which a under the purview of the Colombo Diocese.

This church was first built in 1762 by a foreign priest by the name of Nicholas Rodrigo of Orithorian Seat as guided in a dream. It was a small hut of Wattle and daub and thatched with cadjans. Later in 1826 a person known as Jawasiya with the help of the other villager built the church in bricks, guided by Priest Julien Fernando.

In 1826 Ref. Priest Roland Fernando replaced the cadjan roof with tiles along with the creation of a façade. On the top of the roof is a statue of St. Philipanary which weighs nearly 5 hundred weights.

It was built  by a villager known as Benadikku.

The services rendered by Rev. Priests 2. Dabarera, E. Poron Lawrance Perera, DominiqueZuza, Ernest Poruthota, Stantly Wedasinghe respectively from 1944 are highly commendable.

Rev. Edwin Perera who felt that the decaying church needed quick face-lift did the ground work to effect repairs which was commenced with Right Ref. Bishop Nicholos Marcus laying the foundation stone on 3rd June 1978. However, the repair work came to a standstill within a year. All efforts taken by Ref. Priest Godfrey to resume repair work did not see any result.

Rev. Priest John Nanayakkara who succeeded Rev. Godfrey completed the repair works and invited Right Rev. Bishop Nicholas Marcus to involve his blessings on the newly completed church.

The Priests who succeeded Rev. John Nanayakkara Namely Rev. Ruban Lesley, Rev. Merl Shantha, Rev. Basil Wickramasinghe and Rev. Merl Shantha, Rev. Basil Wickramasinghe and Rev.Darshanan Jayamanna did a Yoeman service.

Rev. Terrance Bodia Baduge who understood that the Church was not spacious enough took steps to enlarge it in 2009. Now the church is spacious and georgeous. 2012 has been declared the 225th Anniversary year.