St. Stephen's Church, Rajagiriya

After the British occupation, the Church of England Mission, CMS, sent missionaries who set up two centres at Kotte and Baddegama. In 1818, Rev. Samuel Lambrick established the “Kotte Mission”, and proclaimed the Gospel in the neighbouring villages at Yakbedda(Welikada), Kotuwegoda, Talangama, Borella, Borelasgamuwa, Pannipitiya, Homagama and Liyanwela. The parish was established by CMS missionaries of Kotte in 1825. Rev. Lambrick was succeeded by Rev. James Selkirk in 1835.

The Welikada parish, which was established a few years later and the missionaries built a temporary preaching hall on a plot of land called Palliyahena. They converted and baptized all but one family. The first baptism recorded in the baptismal register in 1835.

In 1846, the Rev.George Cornibere Trimnel who arrived as the Superintendent of the Cotta Mission purchased a block of land situated at the highest point in the village from Seekuhewage Abraham Dias on 16 March 1846 for patha 9 approximately……….. nine sovereigns). The original Church building 37 ft in length and 19 ft in breadth was constructed out of Cabook stone. On completion of the Building the first Bishop of the Diocese of Colombo Rt. Rev. James Chapman consecrated the Church in the name of St. Stephen, on 16 September 1848. This was the first building in Sri Lanka to have been consecrated by this Bishop. In 1908, a school was constructed which still continues as Bandaranaike Junior School.

For the 50^th jubilee in 1898, an entrance portico and perimeter wall was built. A vestry, later the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, was built in 1933.

As there was not sufficient space in the old Church building, a foundation stone was laid in 1960 by Rev. D.G.A Wijesekera and other elders for construction of a new building for the Church. The 125^th Anniversary celebrated in 1973 saw the consecration of the new Church by Bishop Cyril Abeynaike, on 26 September. The nave of the new Church stands on the same foundation. The new Church is built in Gothic architecture of uncut, unpolished and un-plastered granite rock.

In 1980 a spire was built.