175 Year old Church in Kandy-by L.B Senarathne

The Church of St John at Getambe

The Church of St John at Getambe

St. John’s Church at Getambe celebrated its 175th Year in October. Proceedings were conducted on ‘Zoom’ keeping to the country’s health requirements. It has a history unparalleled in the history of churches in the country. Incidentally, the first Church of England was to be built on Kandyan soil.
This Church could boast of being the first Church to organize a school for children first as a Vernacular school in Kandy and then a school for English education. The school was on Church grounds and the prime mover was an English Church of England.

Presently the school so founded is Madima Maha Vidyalaya, which was St. John’s College, Getambe and now Mahanama Madiyama Maha Vidyalaya.

This Church which was established by priest William Oakley introduced the local environment to their services. One was the lighting of oil lamps instead of candles and then introduced the Kandyan music, through using the conch shell, Magula Bera, and Tammettama. Now, these instruments are used on special occasions, but the use of oil lamps continue.
Soon after the Brtish-Kandyan agreement, Christian priests entered the British territories. In 1818 Revd Samuel Lambrequin came to Kandy to represent the Church of England in midst of great difficulties. In 1821 Rev Thomas Browning came to Kandy with his wife to assist Rev. Samuel. But he left Kandy to another parish at Kotte.

“This Church which was established by priest William Oakley introduced the local environment to their services. One was the lighting of oil lamps instead of candles”

In 1835 Revd. Father William Oakley arrived in Kandy and no sooner he settled down, his thoughts went to establishing churches. The first was a Church for Saint Mark and this he did after acquiring the land from the British Military war department as this land was the king’s property, which became the property of the British Administration, as it was within the inner city of Kandy.

Having built this Church which stands today at Katukelle, he turned to building a Church for the Sinhala-speaking community. First, he is reported to have built the Getambe Church. He selected land on which he first constructed a hall and a school in 1838, which is older than any school in Kandy built by missionaries.
His next task was the Church and for him, it so happened that a renter who also had shares in the David Mendis Company, William Alexander Fernando from Moratuwa (also known as Thambi Appu Renda came to Father Oakley to be converted as a Christian. So was Peace Officer Getambe Ralahamy who together constructed the Church of St. John in 1846 and consecrated the Church. William Alexander Fernando is reported to have attended regularly the services of the Church and he passed away at the age of 76. Getambe Ralahamy passed away and he is buried in the Church burial ground behind the present school which is now ‘ Mahanama Madiyama Maha Vidyalaya.
He introduced the local features such as oil lamps for services and the Church and school ran side by side, until the Christian Mission took the school under the guidance of Trinity College, though this school is older than Trinity.

However, the Church could not celebrate the 100th year as the second World War was raging.Strange as it is, the 175th year was also celebrated under ‘Zoom’ technology.
A Service was held on Zoom which was attended by the Archdeacon George Melder, Bishop and other Church personalities, said the Parish Priest Father Nisantha Fernando.
The Preacher was Revd. Jayantha Panditharatne -Vicar.

The Church of St John at Getambe 2