Roman Catholic Diocese of Mannar

The Diocese of Mannar (Latin: Dioecesis Mannarensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese for north-western Sri Lanka, administered by the Bishop of Mannar, currently Fidelis Fernando.^[1]

Diocese of Mannar Dioecesis Mannarensis மன்னார் மறைமாவட்டம
St. Sebastian's Cathedral
Location
Country	Sri Lanka
Ecclesiastical province	Colombo
Metropolitan	Colombo
Statistics
Area	3,998 km2 (1,544 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 270,375 89,516 (33.1%)
Parishes	34
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	24 January 1981
Cathedral	St Sebastian’s Cathedral in Mannar
Patron saint	Our Lady of Madhu
Secular priests	87
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Fidelis Fernando
Metropolitan Archbishop	Malcolm Ranjith
Vicar General	Victor Sosai Anthony
Map

History

The Diocese of Mannar was created on 24 January 1981 from parts of the Diocese of Jaffna.^[2] Between 14 January 2016 and 22 November 2017, the position of Bishop remained vacant, the diocese being overseen by Apostolic Administrator and retired Bishop Kingsley Swampillai.^[1]

See also

• Mannar Catholic martyrs (1544)

Bishops

#	Bishop	Took office	Left office
1st	Thomas Savundaranayagam	1981	1992
2nd	Rayappu Joseph	1992	2016
-	Kingsley Swampillai (as Apostolic Administrator)	2016	2017
3rd	Fidelis Fernando	2017

Notable Churches

1. Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
2. St. Sebastian's Cathedral, Mannar
3. St.Antony’s Church, Nedunkandal
4. Our lady of Refuge Church, Ithikandal
5. Our lady of Velankani Church, Thamari Kulam, Adampan
6. St.Philip Neto’s Church, Kannady
7. The Sacred Heart Church, Adampan
8. Our lady of Sorrows Church, Adampan
9. St. Antony's Church, Karukkakulam
10. Karthar Kovil, Adampan
11. St. Joseph Church, Andankulam
12. St.Michel’s Church, Tharavankoddai
13. St.Joseph Vazz Church, Kallikulam
14. St. Francis Xavier Shrine, Velankulam
15. St.Lawrence Church, Thalimanar
16. Holy Rosary Church, Thalaimannar
17. Christ the King Church, Santhapuram
18. St.Anne’s Church, Vankalai

References

1. "Sri Lanka: Bp. Fidelis L. E. Fernando new Bishop of Mannar". en.radiovaticana.va. Vatican Radio. 22 Nov 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "Diocese of Mannar". GCatholic.

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