Catholic ChurchinDemocratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka) | ![]() |
Also known as: le Sri Lanka (français), Sri Lanka (Deutsch, español, Italiano, polski, Português), 斯里蘭卡 (正體中文), スリランカ (日本語), Taprobane (latine)
Roman Rite (12): Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Chilaw, Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala, Mannar, Ratnapura, Trincomalee
by Type | by Name | by Ecclesiastical Province
Changes in Dioceses | Vacant Dioceses | Former Dioceses
Apostolic Nunciature: Sri Lanka ![]()
Conference of Bishops: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka ![]()
International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (F.A.B.C.) ![]()
Patron Saints: Saint Lawrence of Rome, Saint Thomas
Saints: 1 Saint
Continent: South and East Asia
Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
Area: 64,630 km²
Population: 22,409,381
Former Name: Ceylon
Religions: Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05%
Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (official and national language) 18%, other 8%
Ethnic Groups: Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5%
Area: 65,610 km²
Catholic Population: 1,665,000 Catholics (7.6% of 22,037,000 total)
Pastoral Centres: 521 parishes, 663 mission stations (79 with resident priest, 584 without resident priest), 30 other centres
Clergy: 22 bishops (12 diocesan, 10 titular), 1,591 priests (1,001 diocesan, 590 religious), 2 permanent deacons (diocesan)
Non-Clergy: 2,684 religious (161 brothers, 2,523 sisters), 31 members of secular institutes (6 brothers, 25 sisters), 462 major seminarians, 199 missionaries, 16,592 catechists
Last updated on 2026.06.08
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