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Christianity in Sri Lanka
 6th century, known as the Anuradhapura cross plays a significant role in Christians in Sri Lanka. | |
 Christians by region (1980–2000) | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,552,161 (2012)[1] | |
| Founder | |
| Thomas the Apostle | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Province | |
 Western |  752,993 |
 North Western | 300,367 |
 Northern | 204,005 |
 Central |  90,519 |
 Eastern | 80,801 |
| Religions | |
| Languages | |
| Christianity by country |
|---|
 |
 Christianity portal |
Christianity is a minority religion in Sri Lanka. It was introduced to the island in first century.[2] Traditionally, after Thomas the Apostle's visit in Kerala in AD 52, Christianity is said to have been introduced to Sri Lanka because of its close geographical and commercial ties.[3][4]
Records suggest that St. Thomas Christians and Nestorian Christians lived in Sri Lanka,[5] and the Anuradhapura cross is one of the archaeological finds that suggest Christianity in Sri Lanka before the[6] arrival of the Portuguese.[7][8] Nestorian Christianity is said to have thrived in Sri Lanka with the patronage of King Dathusena during the 5th century. There are mentions of involvement of Persian Christians with the Sri Lankan royal family during the Sigiriya Period. Over seventy-five ships carrying Murundi soldiers from Mangalore are said to have arrived in the Sri Lankan town of Chilaw most of whom were Christians. King Dathusena's daughter was married to his nephew Migara who is also said to have been a Nestorian Christian, and a commander of the Sinhalese army. Maga Brahmana, a christian priest of Persian origin is said to have provided advice to King Dathusena on establishing his palace on the Sigiriya Rock.[9] According to Leonard Pinto, this is not widely accepted as it is contrary to recorded Mahāvaṃsa textual sources on royal family from this period.[10] The Anuradhapura Cross discovered in 1912 is also considered to be an indication of a strong Nestorian Christian presence in Sri Lanka between the 3rd and 10th century in the then capital of Anuradhapura of Sri Lanka.[9][11][12][13] There were also conversions by the Dutch in the 17th century.
The Christian population of Sri Lanka includes members of Burghers, Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups.[14]
- ^ "Population by religion and district, Census 1981, 2001, 2012" (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ "A Brief History Of Christianity In Sri Lanka". 20 September 2013.
- ^ Aprem, Mar. "Early Christianity in Sri Lanka and India and Issues of Identity". Assyrian International News Agency. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ Hattaway, Paul (2004). Peoples of the Buddhist World: A Christian Prayer Diary. William Carey Library. ISBN 978-0-87808-361-9. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ Pinto, Leonard (20 September 2013). "A Brief History Of Christianity In Sri Lanka". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "The Forgotten Christian World". History Today. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "Mar Aprem Metropolitan Visits Ancient Anuradhapura Cross in Official Trip to Sri Lanka". Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ Weerakoon, Rajitha. "Did Christianity exist in ancient Sri Lanka?". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 26 February 2015.
Although the Nestorian presence in Sri Lanka has been recorded by several foreign historians, Sri Lankan historians maintain that it had not spread among Sri Lankans. These may have been probably due to the fact that Buddhism gained ground.
- ^ a b Pinto, Leonard (14 July 2015). Being a Christian in Sri Lanka: Historical, Political, Social, and Religious Considerations. Balboa Publishers. pp. 55–57. ISBN 978-1452528632.
- ^ Pinto, Leonard (14 July 2015). Being a Christian in Sri Lanka: Historical, Political, Social, and Religious Considerations. Balboa Publishers. pp. 55–57. ISBN 978-1452528632.
Leonard Pinto notes "All this is contrary to the account in Mahawansa and what is in Sri Lankan history books. Most scholars in Sri Lanka do not accept this story of Sigirya by Paranavitana. The presence of Persian Nestorian Christians in Sri Lanka in the fifth and sixth centuries is well documented by Cosmas Indicoplestes, a Nestorian monk who undertook a voyage to Asia. Some writers believe that he did not visit Sri Lanka, but obtained accurate information about Sri Lanka from Sopatros, his fellow Alexandrian merchant, Ethiopian merchants, Greek peaking Dioscoridean merchants and Persian cleargyman Mar Aba."
- ^ "Mar Aprem Metropolitan Visits Ancient Anuradhapura Cross in Official Trip to Sri Lanka". Assyrian Church News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ^ Weerakoon, Rajitha (26 June 2011). "Did Christianity exist in ancient Sri Lanka?". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
Although the Nestorian presence in Sri Lanka has been recorded by several foreign historians, Sri Lankan historians maintain that it had not spread among Sri Lankans. These may have been probably due to the fact that Buddhism gained ground.
- ^ "Main interest". Daily News. 22 April 2011. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Christians in Sri Lanka". 16 October 2023.
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