Nestled along the main road in Dehiwala, you will come across St. Mary’s Church – an inviting catholic church, popular among the residents of Dehiwala.

The church, which had its foundation stone laid back in 1835 on the land gifted by Muhandiram B. Bastian Mendis to the six Catholic laymen who came in search of land to build a church in Dehiwala, is reminiscent of the castle-like architecture of the middle ages. 

Coloured in a pale shade of peach, this edifice is reached upon by walking down a pathway ornamented by trees on either side (my guess - palm trees) which added a very royal, Arabian touch and thanks to the lush greenery that surrounds the church, I wasn’t dipped in my own sweat on a typical hot Lankan day. 

Walking in, you will witness the typical church interior, with pews filling up the space and fans hanging low from the high ceiling. 

The interior of this church is simple, limiting itself to frames depicting stories of Jesus on the walls and the archetypal altar that showed the crucifixion of Jesus along with a statue of Mother Mary.

Strolling outside, I stumbled upon yet another statue – one of Joseph Vaz (1651 – 1711) who is known to be an apostle of Sri Lanka, canonized in Colombo by Pope Francis in 2015.

The exterior that gives a Disneyland-ish look complements the interior which is defined by many arches. 

While this church isn’t exotic in its looks, it does serve its purpose of spiritual nourishment with devout Catholics filling in every day. If you’re in for a peace of mind, you might want to check in at this mentally stimulating church!

Pics (also) by Nabeela Yaseen