eLanka

Saturday, 28 Mar 2026
  • Home
  • Read History
  • Articles
    • eLanka Journalists
  • Events
  • Useful links
    • Obituaries
    • Seeking to Contact
    • eLanka Newsletters
    • Weekly Events and Advertisements
    • eLanka Testimonials
    • Sri Lanka Newspapers
    • Sri Lanka TV LIVE
    • Sri Lanka Radio
    • eLanka Recepies
  • Gallery
  • Contact
Newsletter
  • eLanka Weddings
  • Property
  • eLanka Shop
  • Business Directory
eLankaeLanka
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Read History
  • Articles
    • eLanka Journalists
  • Events
  • Useful links
    • Obituaries
    • Seeking to Contact
    • eLanka Newsletters
    • Weekly Events and Advertisements
    • eLanka Testimonials
    • Sri Lanka Newspapers
    • Sri Lanka TV LIVE
    • Sri Lanka Radio
    • eLanka Recepies
  • Gallery
  • Contact
Follow US
© 2005 – 2026 eLanka Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Home » Goodnews Stories Srilankan Expats » Articles » Feast of the Transfiguration (2021) A Chapel dedicated to this hallowed event
Articles

Feast of the Transfiguration (2021) A Chapel dedicated to this hallowed event

eLanka admin
Last updated: July 20, 2021 10:39 pm
By
eLanka admin
ByeLanka admin
Follow:
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE
Views: 1

Feast of the Transfiguration (2021) – Cancelled

Dear fellow Thomians,

Feast of the Transfiguration 2021

It is with regret that we wish to announce that we have decided to cancel the ‘Feast of the Transfiguration’ service scheduled to be held on Sunday 1 st August 2021, at All Saints Church Parramatta, due to prevailing pandemic restrictions.

We wish to thank Rev Owen Goddard, Rector of All Saints Church for his very kind and generous acceptance in making the church available for the service and Vasantha Weerakoon for making arrangements for the Hymns to be sung at the service and a special Anthem by the Thomian Choir.

We look forward to your presence at the Thomian Carol Service to be held at the same venue on Saturday 27 th November 2021 at 6.30pm.

A Chapel dedicated to this hallowed event

A Chapel dedicated to this hallowed event

The Chapel of the Transfiguration, of S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia towers majestically from the highest hillock of the campus, a silent witness to the thoughts and prayers, the hopes and aspirations of the generations of Thomian schoolboys, who have trodden it’s long familiar aisles during its long history of ninety seven years to date.  The College Chapel was dedicated to the glorious event of the Transfiguration of Christ on 13th February 1927, and we celebrated the 90th anniversary of this event in 2017. In 2018 when College celebrated 100 years at Mount Lavinia it coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mural of the Transfiguration in the Chapel painted by David Paynter. Special services commemorating the Feast are held annually on the first Sunday in August. The festival celebrates the revelation of the eternal glory of the Second Person of the Trinity, which was veiled during Christ’s life on earth. According to tradition, the event took place on Mount Tabor.

Here in Sydney STC OBA NSW/ACT decided to replicate this hallowed tradition of celebrating the ‘Feast of the Transfiguration’ in 2017. The inaugural Service was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney on 5th August 2017. This event was truly a rare opportunity for the members and well-wishers of the STC OBA in New South Wales and ACT to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration together with the College Community in Sri Lanka who were celebrating the event at a service of Choral Evensong held at the Chapel of the Transfiguration in Mount Lavinia on the same day.

Warden Rev Marc Billimoria has observed that this event should not only be considered as one of a religious nature, but also an opportunity to strengthen the ties that bind Thomians to each other and to their alma mater as well as an occasion to reminisce on their time at STC.

The celebrant of the inaugural service in 2017, was the Dean of Sydney the Rev’d Kanishka Raffel , now the Archbishop of Sydney, who very generously paved the way to make the St Andrews Cathedral available for this occasion. In the following years 2018 and 2019 we held the service at All Saints Church Parramatta, where we hold the annual Thomian Carol service. Although we had made arrangements to hold the service in 2020, we had no choice but to cancel due to the prevailing restrictions to social gatherings around that time.

We are delighted that we have made arrangements to celebrate the

“Feast of the Transfiguration” this year.

Here is our invitation ………

Cancelled

Invitation to join us 

Feast of the Transfiguration

S. Thomas’ College OBA NSW/ACT

Sunday 1st of August 2021 at 6.30pm 

All Saints Anglican Church, North Parramatta

(29 Elizabeth Street, Parramatta)

S. Thomas’ College Old Boys Association NSW/ACT together with 

  All Saints Anglican Church North Parramatta

invites

ALL

and especially Thomians, along with their families and friends

to participate in the celebration of the

Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ

The College Chapel at S.Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia is the

Chapel of the Transfiguration, hence the close association with the ‘Feast of the Transfiguration’

The service will be led by The Rector of All Saints Church Parramatta

The Reverend Owen Goddard

With the Thomian Choir leading the singing of festive hymns and responses

with Choir Director Vasantha Weerakoon

and organist of All Saints Church Lyn Southern at the organ

This act of praise & worship is an opportunity for 

 rededicating ourselves to God’s service, remembering our native Sri Lanka 

 and honoring our Alma Mater S. Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia

For more information, please contact any committee member of STCOBA NSW/ACT

www.stcobasydney.com

S. Thomas’ College Old Boys’ Association NSW/ACT

Cancelled

TAGGED:Old Boys’ Association NSWS. Thomas' College
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Mr,Kottu Mr Koththu-Viraj Wickramanayake | Life Story
Next Article Time to fly a kite Time to fly a kite… by Nisal Baduge
FacebookLike
YoutubeSubscribe
LinkedInFollow
Most Read
10 Pictures With Fascinating Stories Behind Them!

“A PICTURE SPEAKS A 1000 WORDS” – By Des Kelly

Look past your thoughts so you may drink the pure nectar of this moment

A Life Hack for when we’re Burnt Out & Broken Down – By Uma Panch

Narration of the History of our Proud Ancestral (Orang Jawa) Heritage. by Noor R. Rahim

eLanka Weddings

eLanka Marriage Proposals

Noel News

Noel News

Noel News

Noel News- By Noel Whittaker

EILEEN MARY SIBELLE DE SILVA (nee DISSANAYAKE) – 29 September 1922 – 6 April 2018 – A Woman of Value an Appreciation written by Mohini Gunasekera

K.K.S. Cement Factory

Dr.Harold Gunatillake’s 90th Birthday party

Sri Lanka's women's cricket squad in Melbourne

Cricket: Sri Lanka’s women’s squad in Melbourne

- Advertisement -
Ad image
Related News
Extreme Heat in Sri Lanka
Articles Bhanuka Nuwan

Extreme Heat in Sri Lanka: Causes, Science, and How to Protect People

Sri Lankan Aluwa Recipe – A Simple Traditional Sweet Delight - By Nadeeka - eLanka
Articles Nadeeka Kumari

Sri Lankan Aluwa Recipe – A Simple Traditional Sweet Delight – By Nadeeka – eLanka

Dilruk Jayasinghe is Sri Lanka's pride at the Australian Comedy Festival. - BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.
Articles Trevine Rodrigo

Dilruk Jayasinghe is Sri Lanka’s pride at the Australian Comedy Festival.- BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.

New wildlife underpass at Galgamuwa – solution for Human-Elephant Conflict By Arundathie Abeysinghe According to scholars, the new wildlife underpass at Galgamuwa in North Western Province which will be completed this month, will be a solution for the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC). Galgamuwa is part of the Mahaweli Development Programme, the largest multipurpose national development programme in the country. Currently, construction of the elephant underpass is being completed beneath the railway line at Kasikote, between Galgamuwa and Ambanpola, an area well-known for frequent elephant crossings. A tunnel is constructed beneath the railway track to allow wild elephants to move safely from one side to the other, reducing the risk of train collisions as well as HEC. In 1977, when the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Scheme was launched, vast extents of forest lands were logged to facilitate new settlements. This led to elephants losing their habitats. According to senior engineers working on the project site, “construction work is expected to be completed in March 2026. The project would have been completed in early March, yet, the design phase of the project could not be finalised as there were challenges in controlling the movements of elephants towards the villages. During the rainy season, the slope that had already been cut was filled with water. Hence, those issues had to be addressed prior to its completion.” Galgamuwa residents are of the view that “this is a key project that should have been completed several decades ago as over 300 people have died in the area due to HEC, while over 50 people are handicapped as a large number of houses were damaged by elephants in search of food. For many years, we have spent sleepless nights due to fear of elephants roaming villages at night. One or two officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) cannot handle several elephants at once.” According to environmentalists “due to new settlements, there is lack of food in existing elephant migratory routes. To prevent elephant encounters, majority of villagers have set up electric fences which are useless as elephants cross the fences by felling large trees over them.” “Kahalla-Pallekele sanctuary was declared in 1989 with the objective of declaring the area up to Kala Wewa and Balalu Wewa as a national park. Yet, after this declaration, illegal land grabbing and human activities have disturbed migratory routes that elephants have been using for many years. Subsequent governments dug trenches, thinking that it would discourage elephants from coming towards villages. But that too was unsuccessful. Elephants now destroy electric fences because there’s lack of maintenance. It is difficult for just one or two wildlife officers to manage these elephant fences. When there’s lack of fodder, they go to people’s backyards in search of vegetables and fruits grown in home gardens.” In certain areas of Galagamuwa, community-based seasonal paddy field fences are constructed to avoid HEC. These are very successful as there is a direct incentive for the farmers to maintain and monitor the fence as their crops may be raided by elephants. In 2024, there were around 300 seasonal paddy field fences erected by Farmer Organisations supported by the Department of Agrarian Development. These seasonal paddy field fences contributed significantly to the number of elephant deaths decreasing from 488 in 2023 to 386 in 2024 as people kill elephants mainly when they raid their paddy or vegetable crops. Scholars are of the view that “although, the project would be completed this month, it is necessary to monitor, at least for a period of one year, if elephants may get used to using the underpass, even though they may not use it immediately.”
Articles Arundathie Abeysinghe

New wildlife underpass at Galgamuwa – solution for Human-Elephant Conflict – By Arundathie Abeysinghe

Australia to host U19 women’s tri-series in April
Articles

Australia to host U19 women’s tri-series in April

  • Quick Links:
  • Articles
  • DESMOND KELLY
  • Dr Harold Gunatillake
  • English Videos
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sinhala Videos
  • eLanka Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Sunil Thenabadu
  • Dr. Harold Gunatillake
  • Tamil Videos
  • Sinhala Movies
  • Trevine Rodrigo
  • Photos
  • eLanka Newsletter

eLanka

Your Trusted Source for News & Community Stories: Stay connected with reliable updates, inspiring features, and breaking news. From politics and technology to culture, lifestyle, and events, eLanka brings you stories that matter — keeping you informed, engaged, and connected 24/7.
Kerrie road, Oatlands , NSW 2117 , Australia.
Email : info@eLanka.com.au / rasangivjes@gmail.com.
WhatsApp : +61402905275 / +94775882546
  • About eLanka
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer:
eLanka is committed to sharing positive and community-focused stories. We do not publish or endorse political, religious, or ethnic viewpoints. The content published on eLanka, including articles and newsletters, reflects the opinions and views of the respective authors and not those of eLanka. eLanka accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness, or consequences of any content provided by contributors.

(c) 2005 – 2025 eLanka Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.