St. Peter's Church, Pamankade

In the early, 1930’s or thereabout the late Rev. T.B Daniel’s father who was the Vicar then of Christ Church, Galle face srated services in Tamil for the Christian Tamil population at the CMS Tamil school on the premises where the present Church stands. Later Tamil services under the pastoral care of the Vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Milagiriya were conducted by Rev. Sathiyanathan and the Malayala Mission services were conducted by the late Rev. C.C.I Abraham and Mr. M.M. Chandy (Catechist) until they moved to the Church of the Good Shepherd Thimbirigasyaya.

In 1959 English services were also started in the school premises by the late Canon Ivan Corea and the late Rev. C. Thambimuttu and the late Ivor Toussaint who assisted him.

As the congregation felt the necessity of a Church a foundation stone was laid by the Rt. Rev. Archibald Graham Campbell, the tenth Bishop of Colombo, on 29 March 1959. The Church was built and dedicated to our patron saint-St. Peter. The funds for the building was raised by the sale of a portion of this land to the Colombo Municipal Council for the expansion of Kalyani Road and a loan from St. Paul’s Church, Milagiriya.

In May 1960, the Rev. C Thambimuttu took over the duties of Vicar, followed by the late Canon Mutukisna. During this period we were under the pastoral care of St. Paul’s Milagiriya along with Holy Trinity Church Wellawatte and Church of the Good Shepherd, Thimbirigasyaya. The monthly meetings of the Board of Wardens of St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s were jointly held at St. Paul’s to discuss matters of importance to the two Churches. The dedication of the High Altar took place on 23 December 1965by the Rt. Rev. Harold De Soysa, Bishop of Colombo. The cross and the candle stands were presented by the Wardens of Holy Trinity Church, Wellawatte. The original picture of St Peter being held by Jesus Christ  was panted by Miss Billimoria and framed and presented by the late Dr. Ms Siebel during the tenure of the late Canon Mutukisna.

In mid 1978, the Wardens felt that a permanent residence for a priest should be put up at Pamankade in the vacant block of land adjoin the church and the Tamil school and a pan was submitted to the CMC. The Warden appealed to the Bishop for a loan which was agreed but unfortunately the Bishop passed away.

The Rt. Rev. Cyril Abeynaike who succeeded him refused the loan and the building was stalled.

During the incumbency of Ven. Dhiloraj Canagasabey (1993-1997) assisted by the late Rev. Ronald Vibratheepam, the urgent need to build a mission house to house the priest in charge was felt and a mission house was built at a cost of Rs 800,000.St. Peter’s had become a self supporting church during this time.  The late Rev Ronald Vibratheepam moved in with his family till he finished his term.

(Source: St. Peter’s Church, Golden Jubilee Souvenir 1959-2009, Bishop Duleep De Chickera)

Even though the Church at St. Peter’s, Pamankade is 50 years old, the Anglican presence at Pamankade has a much longer history than that. The Ceylon Churchman records that there was an SPG Chapel at Pamankade in 1979. It refers to a magic lantern exhibition held in October of that year and later on Christmas Eve Eucharist in an adjoining school room at which the first baptism was held. So although St. Peter’s Church, Pamankade was consecrated only fifty years ago, the Church has a one hundred an thirty year history behind it.