President Attended Thalawila Feast
Friday, August 21, 2009
President Attended Thalawila FeastBy Janaka Alahapperuma
1st July 2009
President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa paid homage to the Holy Statue of St Annes and attended a Special Religious ceremony at Thalawila Church on Saturday 1st July. Bishop of Chilaw Rt Rev Valence Mendis officiated at the Mass with the participation of resident priests, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, many politicians and large crowd of Catholic devotees and locals.
Apart from the Easter festival during the holy week, Thalawila Church organises another main festival scheduled to be celebrated annually in the first Sunday in August. President and First lady's Saturday visit came as a surprise prior to Sunday main festival mass which follows by a procession carrying the statue of St Anne with the participation of large crowds from various parts of Sri Lanka.
Chilaw has a very diversed community. As of December 2004, there were out of 705,342 total population and 231,205 of them were Catholics representing all the Dioces. There are 44 Parishes with 99 resident priests servining the Chilaw territory. Majority of the community representing Sinhala and most of them are Buddhists.
However present Bishop of Chilaw diocese Rt Rev Warnakulasuriya Devsritha Valence Mendis (51) who is highly qualified and talented Catholic priest holding many high profile posts working tirelessly to promote peace and harmony among the diverse Chilaw community.
(Pix: Sudath Silva)
Uva Wellassa people felicitated President and war heroes.
Uva Wellassa people felicitated President and war heroes.By Janaka Alahapperuma 18th July 2009 Uva Wellassa people felicitated President Mahinda Rajapaksa ,Defrence Secretary Mr.Gotabaya Rajapaksa,Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Former Director General of Civil Defence Force Sarath Weerasekera and Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne at Mahiyanganaya Rajamaha Viharaya on Sunday 18th July. (Pix- Sudath Silva) |
President opened an electricity project at Naagadeepa Temple
President opened an electricity project at Naagadeepa TempleBy Janaka Alahapperuma
17th July 2009
President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a night visit to Naagadeepa Rajamaha Vihara in Rideemaliyadda at Mahiyanganaya on 17th July while he was in Uva Wellassa area.. President Rajapaksa officially opened an electricity project at Nagadeepa Rajamaha Viharaya. Venerable Maha sanga ,SLFP Organaizer of Badulla District Mr.Anura Vidanagamage and devotees of the temple were present.
(pix Sudath Silva)
Foreign Buddhist delegation met president.
Foreign Buddhist delegation met president.By Janaka Alahapperuma
22nd July 2009
Most Ven. Sudham Sudhammo Thero, the executive assistant abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Thailand and the President of the Buddhist Federation of Australia, and his delegation visited Temple Trees on 22nd of July.
Buddhist delegation thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the meeting for giving opportunity to researches Utilize Ola-leave manuscripts around the country in searching original teachings of the Buddha, as well as protect Dhamma in preserving teaching of Buddha in digital form which will last longer than in Ola-leave manuscripts. Ven. Rambukwelle Dhammarakkitha, Ven. Vatinapaha Somarathana and the Minister Laxman Yapa Abegunawardana also were present on the occasion.
(Pix: Sudath Silva)
President visits Sri Daladha Maligawa
President visits Sri Daladha MaligawaBy Janaka Alahapperuma.
25th July 2009
President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Sri Daladha Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth) to worship the Tooth Relic on Saturday 25th July.
After the religious observances he also visited the Chief Incumbent of Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven.Agga Maha Panditha Udugama Sri Buddha Rakkitha Nayaka thero and the Chief Incumbent of Malwaththa Chapter Ven.Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka thero in Kandy . The President briefed the prelates on the resettlement plans with regard to the people in the IDP camps in Vavuniya. He also explained the future development plans carry out in Kandy.
The Mahanayakas urged the President to rectify the disinformation campaign carried out by Western world and other interested parties with regard to the IDPs to tell the world the truthful position.
Ministers Keheliya Rambukwella, SM Chandrasena, Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara and the Governor of the Central Province , Tikiri Kobbekaduwa were participated the religious ceremony.
Pix: Chandana Perera
Felicitation ceremony of Rt Rev Dr Malcolm Ranjith at BMICH
Felicitation ceremony of Rt Rev Dr Malcolm Ranjith- 9th Archbishop of Colombo at BMICH.
By Janaka Alahapperuma
A solemn ceremony was organised to felicitate the newly installed Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev. Dr. Malcolm Ranjith on Monday 10th August 2009 at the BMICH with the participation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The well attended colourful and dignified ceremony which took place yesterday, saw the presence of representatives from Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and other multi religious leaders, representatives of the diocese's various perishes and the members of other Christian churches.
Ven Dr Bellanwila Wimalarathana, Kamburugamuwe Wajira Nayaka Theros, Ven Maduluwawe Sobhitha and Ven Maha Sanga , former Archbishop of Colombo Rev. Dr Oswald Gomis, Retired Colombo Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando, Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka, Former President Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga, Leader of the Opposition Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe, Chief Justice Asoka De Silva, Members of the Parliament, Secretary to the President Mr Lalith Weeratunga, government officials and many dignitaries also participated the occasion.
All the political leaders joined with the President at the opening ceremony of lighting the traditional oil lamp of prosperity.
Addressing the gathering President Rajapaksa pointed out that there is no possibility of remaining divided and separate in the country. Divisions such as ethnic or religious separatism are not tolerated anymore. He said that Sri Lanka has been able to bestow to the world a new experience in peace and up coming Madhu feast , pilgrimages can go to holy church with out any fear or obtaining permission from anyone. He further said that the Catholics of Sri Lanka will be able to celebrate the coming Christmas in a new Sri Lanka under one flag where terrorism has been totally eliminated,”
Addressing the gathering Rev Malcolm Ranjith said, “We do know for example how much our Sri Lankan identity is intertwined with Buddhism and do respect that very much. Indeed some of us do have close family relationships and interact with our Buddhist brethren very closely. It is not our intention to encourage conversions to Christianity through unethical means. Our sole desire is to be able to practice our faith freely, living in harmony with all our fellow citizens and contributing further to the well-being of this country.”
Rt Rev Malcolm Ranjith is the 9th Archbishop of Colombo who had worked as secretary of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments prior to his new appointment. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Ranjith to his present post in June after accepting the resignation of Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo, who reached the official retirement age of 75 over 18 months ago. Archbishop Ranjith, 61, was the only Sri Lankan who held top positions in the Roman Curia in the history.
At the installation Mass at St. Lucia's Cathedral in Colombo on 5th of August Archbishop Ranjith noted he was taking over the archdiocese at a difficult and challenging time. He called on all religions to work together for the betterment of Sri Lankan society ravaged by years of civil war. "We should build a democratic, peaceful, fair and free society. A 25-year civil war has just ended with the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers rebels. The civil war, besides causing havoc to the economy, also left people divided on the basis of race, language and religion. Let us not allow weak human nature to create divisions among us in the future," said Archbishop Ranjith.
A commemorative stamp was issued to mark the occasion by the Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka.
Pix: Sudath Silva
New Wings to new pilots
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
New Wings to new pilots of Sri Lankan Airlines.By Janaka Alahapperuma.
17th August 2009.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented 'Wings' to six new pilots of the National Carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines at a solemnly ceremony hosted at Temple Trees on Monday 17th August.
The six new Junior First Officers - Eshantha Kaluarachchi, Sagara Weerasingha, Madhini Chandradasa, Sujeeshwa Abeysekera, Sandesh Gunasekera and Prasad Wickremasinghe, who completed a rigorous training programme at Sri Lankan Airlines, also received certificates from Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapaksa.
One lady junior First officer, who is the forth woman to join also included the proud ranks of pilots at the National Carrier.
Deputy Minister of Aviation, Sarath Kumara Gunarathna, Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines Mr. Nishanta Wickremasinghe, , Members of the Board of the airline and parents of the new junior first officers were present at the occation.
Pix Sudath Silva
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