MostRev.Lakdasa Jacob De Mel(1902–1976),MAwas the firstBishop of Kurunegala,Sri Lanka and the lastMetropolitan Archbishopof India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon.[1]
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Right Reverend Lakdasa Jacob De Mel | |
|---|---|
| AnglicanBishop of Calcutta AnglicanBishop of Kurunegala | |
| Church | Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon Anglican Church of Ceylon |
| Diocese | Calcutta Kurunegala |
| In office | 1962–1970 1950–1962 |
| Successor | Lakshman Wickremasinghe |
| Previous post(s) | AssistantBishop of Colombo |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1927 |
| Consecration | 2 February 1950 byGeorge Hubback |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 March 1902 Moratuwa,Sri Lanka |
| Died | 23 October 1976 Kurunegala, Sri Lanka |
Lakdasa De Mel was born on 24 March 1902 inMoratuwa,Sri Lanka, to a prominent Anglican family.[1][2]He was the son ofSirHenry de Mel,former Member of theLegislative Counciland Elsie Jayawickrame.[3][4]De Mel was educated at theRoyal College Colomboand went on to study atKeble Collegeat theUniversity of Oxford,gaining an MA.[5]De Mel was ordained to a short curacy atSt John the Divine, Kenningtonbefore returning to Sri Lanka, where he was appointed as the parish priest atSt Michael and All Angels Church, Polwatte.For 10 years he was the authority of Missionary of South Sri Lanka’sBaddegamaParish.[5][6]From 1940 he served as the priest atSt. Paul's Church, Kandy.As a priest he became one of the pioneers of the indigenisation of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka. He said his first Mass in Sinhala and sought to integrate local music styles into the service.
De Mel was consecrated as AssistantBishop of Colomboon 8 November 1945.
In January 1950 the Church of Ceylon resolved to create a newdiocese,the Diocese of Kurunegala. The diocese was formally inaugurated on 2 February 1950, on the Feast of the Presentation, withGeorge Hubback,the thenMetropolitanof India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, appointing De Mel as the first Bishop of Kurunegala.[7]The formation of this new Diocese was marked by the induction, installation and enthronement of De Mel as the founding Bishop, atTrinity College Chapel, Kandy.He, along with other members of the De Mel family were largely responsible for the funding of the construction of theCathedral of Christ the King.[8][9]
In May 1962, De Mel was elected asMetropolitanof India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon andBishop of Calcutta,the first Sri Lankan to become anArchbishopof theAnglican Church.He was enthroned on 21 August 1962, atSt. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta.It was a post that he held until his retirement in 1970.[citation needed]
In 1971 he married Joan Hamilton (1921–2009) and at the end of 1972 they moved to live inKurunegala.[citation needed]
In March 1976 he was diagnosed withlung cancerand he died on 23 October 1976, his ashes were interred in the Cathedral of Christ the King.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^St. Peter's Church, Koralawella: 130 years of dedicated serviceby W. Annesley Sumith Fernando, Sunday Observer, Retrieved 11 June 2015
- ^Our History,St. Peter's Church Website, Retrieved 11 June 2015
- ^Wright, Arnold (1999).Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon.Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company. pp. 570, 578, 596, 598–600, 664–5.ISBN978-8120613355.
- ^Allister MacMillan, ed. (1928).Seaports of India and Ceylon.Asian Educational Services. pp. 439–40.ISBN978-8120619951.
- ^abRev. Lakdasa de Mel: inspiring legend of BaddegamaArchived2011-06-04 at theWayback Machine
- ^Christ Church, BaddegamaDiocese of Colombo. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
- ^The New Diocese of Kurunegala,Holy Emmanuel Church Website
- ^Rev. Abayasekera, Jeffrey (2002)."Bishop Lakdasa De Mel: Called for justice and uplift of poor".Sunday Observer.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2015.Retrieved2 February2015.
- ^History of the Diocese of KuunegalaDiocese of Kuunegala Retrieved 2 February 2015
- ^Anglicanism: A Global Communionedited by Andrew Wingate, p.340 (Church Publishing Inc)ISBN978-0-89869-304-1