Built in 1926, this Church is situated 26 miles from Badulla. This Church was built for the benefit of Christians living in that area which extends as far as Bibile.
This Church was built by Rev. W.J.P. Waltham. He also built the Church of the Ascension in Bandarawela in 1909.
Before this church was built services were held regularly in the Rest House in Lunugala. On 20 January 1907 Bishop E.A. Copleston held a confirmation service in the Resthouse. The Rev. W.J.P Waltham presented three candidates.
The church was built by the effort of some of the interested planters and local officials and consecrated on 1 July 1926 by Bishop Mark Carpenter Garnier. The clergy present on that occasion were: Revs C.S. Green, the Bishop’s Chaplain R.D.T. Lowe, Vicar W.J.P. Waltham, and J Noah. After the service at a party at the Resthouse organized by Messrs. A.E. Ogilvy, T.G. Sim and Greig, the Bishop met the members of the congregation.
Before the church was built services were held in the Passara Gun Club. Almost everyone present at these times invariably attended the services.
The church is built on the old Resthouse site. It was purchased by the Rev. Geo H. Gomes, who established a Sinhalese school there. This had to be closed down after a few years.
The moving spirits behind the building and the completion of the church was the late Mr. A.H. Hall and Mr. G. Kent Deaker. They received every encouragement from Bishop Horsley who, hoped that it would not in any way detract from the support given to St. Mark’s.
The corner stone was laid by the Bishop’s Commissary, the Ven. the Archdeacon of Colombo, A.J. Kendall Baker on 24 August 1948. The clergy present were: The Revs Felix A Dias Abeysinghe, Vicar, T.B. Daniel, Incumbent Uva Tamil pastorate, C.M. Thomas, Vicar of Bandarawela and H.L. Fernando and C. Ferdinands of the Methodist Church.
On completion of the building the church was dedicated on 10 May 1949 by Bishop Graham Campbell. There was present a large number of both the English and Tamil congregations.
The church was built in 1933 on land belonging to Demodera Group. Mr. S.J. Silas of the estate was mainly responsible for getting the support of the estate authorities and the chrsitians in the district. The Revs. W.J.P. Waltham, H.L.B. Budge, Vicar J.M. Devadason and W.O. bevan of the Methodist Church and Messrs. A.H. Reid, D.F. Hamilton and D.J. Ross warmly encouraged the idea.
It was opened for worship on 2 July 1933. Rev. H.L.B. Budge, J.M. Devadason and W.O. Bevan took part in the service.
Bishop Horsley visited the church and preached at evensong on 13 July 1941. Bishop Graham Campbell visited the church and preached at evensong on 8 April 1956.
The Church was consecrated by Bishop James Chapman on 25 April 1857. This is St. Mark’s Day. Before 1857, services were held in the courthouse by the clergyman stationed in Nuwara-Eliya paying periodical visits. In 1846, Bishop Chapman toured Nuwara-Eliya where a Church was being built, travelling to Badulla on horseback with a spare pony and coolies carrying his luggage. On Sunday 24 February he held a service in the Badulla courthouse, attended by district officials and coffee planters. On Monday 25 February a public meeting was held to make preliminary arrangements for a Church, attended by all classes and creeds of Ceylonese from the neighbourhood and Europeans living in Uva. The Bishop visited again in 1850 and 1853. Contributions were given by people of all religions and races in Badulla.
Rev. Waltham , Vicar from 1900 to 1925, built a large school at Medagama which was later handed over to the Government. He put up some of the buildings, and a boys hostel, which later became Uva College. He improved the Church and the Churchyard. In 1921 he built the belltower with money given by Churchwarden W.E.T. Sharpe. He improved and enlarged St. Augustine’s school at Baddegama and built and furnished St. Peter’s Church at Lunugala.
The Vicarage at St. Mark’s, which he moved into in 1915, was built with his money and gifted to the parish. Rev. Waltham left St. Mark’s in 1925. When Rev. Waltham died he was buried on 2 October 1938 at Bandarawela.
Interesting bits of history
Major Rogers
It is interesting to trace the history of Major Rogers to whom St. Mark’s Church is the memorial.
Major Rogers is credited with opening out Uva by tracing or constructing nearly all the roads in the province. He traced and superintended the present road to Hambantota via Wellawaya, the roads to Ratnapura and Nuwara-Eliya and the old Batticaloa Road. He framed the estimates and supervised most of the public works executed during his lifetime. He is also known to have planted the first coffee estates along the Ratnapura Road. Viz Kahagole and Haputale.
In the course of his lifetime he is said to have shot, at the lowest, 1400 elephants.
In the flower of his manhood major Rogers was killed by lightning at Sherwood Estate on the top of Haputale Pass.
Vicars of the Church: The Rev. E. Mooyart from Galle was for a short period Incumbent of St. Mark’s immediately after its consecration. The first permanent Incumbent was the Rev. George Adam Rathna. Sinhalese and Tamil services were held from the very beginning. The priest was helped by a Sinhalese Catechist and the Tamil services was taken by a Catechist when the T.C.M European missionary could not come.
Rev. Rathna was succeeded by Rev. Abraham Dias Abeyesinghe. He became Vicar of St. Mark’s in 1859.
Stained Glass Windows
Left East Window-The Nativity
To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Alice Maud Oorloff who died June 16 1893 aged 19 years. This window is placed by her sorrowing parents Arthur Felix Oorloff, Colonial Surgeon and Alice maud his wife. Grant her, O Lord, eternal rest.
Centre East Window-The crucifixion
In token of thankfulness to Almighty God
For mercies vouchsafed unto him in 1904
This window is placed here by WJP Waltham, Vicar
Right East Window- The Ascension
In loving memory of Kate Anne Rettie who fell asleep at Spring Valley, Badulla on the 20 February 1905 aged 49 years. This window is dedicated by her husband A. Rettie and family.
This Church was dedicated on 24 July 1955 under Bishop Rollo-Graham Campbell on the Feast of St. Mary, Magdalene. Coming under the Church of Ceylon Mission to Gal-Oya Valley, the Resident Chaplain was Rev. C.H. Wickramanayake. The Church had a well knit community of worshippers during the time of the Gal Oya Development Board. When the development programme ended, the congregation migrated to their home towns, leaving the mission to toil in desert land. The mission had a strong outpost in the 36 colony at Bakkiella in the 1980’s. Apart from a small group and a valley extended North to Ulhitiya Oya, Padiyathalawa, Maha Oya, South to Nintavur, Akkaraipattu and in the West to Inginiyagala, Namal Oya, Bandaraduwa in Bintenna. The pastors who labored in this included Revs. Wickramanayake, Clarence Peiris, G.W. Serasinghe, Lakdasa Jayawardene, I.H. Victor and Henry Pereira.
The Church serves the needs of the congregation together with the Church of Christ the Compassionate, Nugelanda.
Approximately a century ago, a batch of people from Navatkudah and Batticaloa arrived at this village with a desire to earn their livelihood which, eventually led to intermarriages among the youth of marriageable age who took up permanent settlements at Morakottanchenai following their marriage.
Messrs Peduru Lazzer, Kanapathipillai, Timothey, Moothathamby Kamalawathy, who are still considered important, being the first batch to visit this village and eventually a new generation emerged through their intermarriage. They used to visit their churches where they were baptized on important occasions and that prompted Rev. Daniel who served at Batticaloa at that time to visit these believers thrice a year in order to meet and encourage these new comers to church.
The following were kind enough to devote their time and be a source of encouragement towards the progress of these new comers on their godly path.
A special mention must be made that David Arumainayagam was kind enough to offer an honorary service subsequent to his father Bro. Arumainayagam’s demise.
When a need for a church was generally felt by all concerned during Rev. Gnanadass period, it was a devout Hindu namely Mr. Kandasamy former village leader who came forward to donate a plot of land to put up a church.
It was Rt. Rev. Cyril Abeynaike who laid the foundation stone in the year 1974.
The cadjan thatched church was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Swithin Fernando during the period of Rev. Bala Arulpragasam and during the period of Rev. John Isaiah this church was rebuilt with bricks and was re-consecrated by Rt. Rev. J.J. Gnanapragasam in the year 1989.
During the period of Rev. Chandran Crispus this church celebrated its silver jubilee on 10 August 1999, having Rt. Rev. Kenneth Fernando as chief guest on this memorable occasion who paved the way for a comfortable structure for worship and laid the foundation stone on the very same day as the silver jubilee celebration. The present church was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Duleep De Chickera on 15 June 2002.