30 March 2020 12:00 am
Chilaw diocese also likely to call off services
By Yohan Perera
Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith announced that Easter services including services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and on Easter Sunday will be cancelled in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara Districts. While other dioceses including Chilaw are also likely to call off the services depending on
the situation.
“We will have the Easter services telecast on TV,” he said.
“Watch the services on TV and pray for the country and the world,” he said.
Speaking during the Sunday sermon, Cardinal said COVID-19 could be a man-made disaster. “It could be a result of human manipulation. Experiments have been made to destroy certain people in certain areas even during the time of Hitler,” the Cardinal said.
“All the problems including the damaging of the ozone layer is done by man and then question God,” he said while highlighting that many nations including the powerful ones are not prepared to safeguard rule of justice in the world.
Meanwhile, Bishop of Chilaw Rev. Valence Mendis told Daily Mirror that Easter services will not be held in his diocese as well if the situation does not improve.
“I will have to get help from a TV channel and telecast the services if the need arises,” he said.
“Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka is monitoring the situation and will also follow the advice of Vatican,” he said.