Rayappu Joseph

Bishop Rayappu Joseph (Tamil: இராயப்பு யோசப்; 16 April 1940 – 1 April 2021)^[1] was a Sri Lanka Tamil prelate and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Mannar.^[2][3][4]

Rt Rev. Rayappu Joseph
Bishop of Mannar
Native name	இராயப்பு யோசப்
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Colombo
Diocese	Mannar
Installed	6 July 1992
Term ended	14 January 2016
Predecessor	Thomas Savundaranayagam
Personal details
Born	(1940-04-16)16 April 1940 Delft, Ceylon
Died	1 April 2021(2021-04-01) (aged 80) Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Buried	Sea
Alma mater	Pontifical Urbaniana University

Early life and family

Joseph was born on 16 April 1940 on the island of Neduntheevu in northern Ceylon to a practitioner of indigenous medicine.^[5][6][7] Living in Cheddikulam and Mannar during his early childhood, he was educated at St. Patrick's College, Jaffna.^[8][9] Joseph had a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical Urbaniana University.^[6]

Career

Joseph was ordained a priest in December 1967.^[5][6] He was a professor at the St Xavier's Seminary, Jaffna.^[6] In July 1992 he was appointed Bishop of Mannar and was ordained a bishop in October 1992.^[5][6]

Joseph has been a vocal critic of the Sri Lankan government/Sri Lankan military's conduct during the Sri Lankan Civil War and the country's human rights record.^[10][11] This has led to him being threatened by government supporters.^[12]