Celebrating 191st feast of St. Anthony of Padua at Kochchikade, Colombo

St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade, Colombo to celebrate its 191st annual feast on 12 and 13 June 2025

- BY INDUNIL PATHIRANA

ST. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, a revered national heritage site, is often called a “shrine of peace” for uniting Sri Lanka’s beloved multiethnic and multireligious communities.

Known as a sacred place of prayer and miracles, it draws pilgrims from around the world who come to ‘pray for the lost and the found’ and personal intentions, making it a lasting symbol of healing and devotion.

Catholicism in Sri Lanka began with the Portuguese arrival in 1505. When the Dutch took control of the coastal regions, they sought to erase Portuguese influence by destroying churches, expelling priests, and persecuting Catholics. Worshippers faced death, exile, or loss of property, and Catholic churches were converted into Dutch Reformed places of worship.

In 1687, Saint Joseph Vaz arrived on the island disguised as a labourer, where he served the spiritual needs of Catholics by ministering Jaffna, Puttalam, and Kandy. Shortly thereafter, Rev. Fr. Antonio came to Colombo, choosing to serve the Catholic community within the city. Rev. Fr. Antonio disguised himself as a fishmonger and took shelter in a house on Maliban Street, near the present-day ‘St. Philip Neri’s Church’.

It is said that the fishermen of the area, troubled by relentless coastal erosion caused by the advancing sea, encountered Rev. Fr. Antonio and surrounded him with a desperate plea. They begged him to pray to God for relief from the destructive waves, promising in return to protect him from the Dutch soldiers pursuing him for arrest. Upon hearing this, the Dutch pursuers decided to allow Rev. Fr. Antonio to comply with the fishermen's request, confident that his failure would expose the futility of the Portuguese faith.