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 | |
Died | 1 April 2021 80) Jaffna, Sri Lanka | (aged
Buried | Sea |
Alma mater | Pontifical Urbaniana University |
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]
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 has a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical Urbaniana University. [6]
Joseph was ordained as 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 as 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]
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. The country comes under the province of Colombo and is made up of 12 dioceses including one archdiocese. There are approximately 1.2 million Catholics in Sri Lanka representing around 6.1% of the total population. Later estimates suggest that there are over 1.6 million in 2020.
The Vankalai massacre was a massacre of a family of four minority Sri Lankan Tamils at the hands of the Sri Lankan military personnel from the village of Vankalai in Mannar District, Sri Lanka on June 8, 2006. The victims were tortured and the mother was gang raped before her murder.
Mary Bastian was a Sri Lankan Tamil human rights activist and Catholic priest. He was shot and killed along with 10 other civilians on January 6, 1985, during the Sri Lankan Civil War, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Army.
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The Pesalai church attack occurred on June 17, 2006 when armed gunmen shot at houses as well as Our lady of heart church in Pesalai, a village in Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. Six civilians were killed and at least 47 were injured in the attack. The eyewitness accused the governmental troops for this attack. The Sri Lankan Navy has denied this and has counter accused the rebel LTTE as being the responsible party. Government of Sri Lanka instituted an investigation into this incident and has identified the responsible party.
Patabendige Albert Malcolm Ranjith, known as Malcolm Ranjith, is a Sri Lankan prelate of the Catholic Church who has been the Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, since 2009. He was made a cardinal in 2010.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Sri Lanka. With a history of more than 400 years, the shrine acts as a center of pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics. The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island and is a well known place of devotion for both Tamil and Sinhalese Catholics. The church has been a symbol of unity not just between Tamils and Sinhalese but also between people of different religions, including Buddhists, Hindus and Protestants.
The Northern Theater of Eelam War IV refers to the fighting that took place in the northern province of Sri Lanka between July 2006 and May 18, 2009.
Nicholas Pillai Pakiaranjith was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil, Roman Catholic parish priest and aid worker. He was killed on 26 September 2008 by a Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army.
Right Reverend Emmanuel Thomas Savundaranayagam is a Sri Lankan Tamil priest and former Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna.
Madhu church shelling or Madhu church massacre is the name for the shelling of the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in Sri Lanka during the Sri Lankan civil war on November 20, 1999. The shelling resulted in the deaths of approximately 40 minority Sri Lankan Tamil civilians, including children, and more than 60 non-fatal injuries. The exact cause and nature of the event is disputed between the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan government. According to Bishop Rayappu Joseph, the attack was carried out by the LTTE. The church is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Sri Lanka. With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics and others. The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island.
St Patrick's College (SPC) is a private school in Gurunagar, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1850 by Roman Catholic missionaries.
Mannar District is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The capital of the district is Mannar, which is located on Mannar Island.
Jaffna College is a private school in Vaddukoddai, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1871 as a successor to the Batticotta Seminary which had been established by American missionaries.
Right Reverend Dr. Joseph Kingsley Swampillai is a Sri Lankan Tamil priest and former Roman Catholic Bishop of Trincomalee.
Right Reverend Joseph Ponniah is a Sri Lanka Tamil priest and the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Batticaloa.
Right Reverend Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando is a Sri Lankan priest and current Roman Catholic Bishop of Mannar. He is the first Bishop appointed from among the Bharatha community of Sri Lanka.
Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam, also known as Anton Ranjith, was born on September 23, 1966, in Jaffna. As of July 13, 2020, he is serving as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo. He has also been serving as the director of Tamil Theologate since 2009 and as the Rector of St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa since 2019.
Rev. Father Edwin Savundra was a Sri Lankan Catholic priest known for his contributions. He founded the English Language Campus, a project dedicated to enhancing English education in the remote villages of Vanni and Mannar, Sri Lanka. Beyond his pastoral role, he also expressed his ideas through several authored books, including the philosophy work titled "The Philosophy of Form and the Human Person".