{"id":150822,"date":"2025-03-21T17:39:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=150822"},"modified":"2025-03-21T17:39:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:39:52","slug":"st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island-2\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast at Kachchativu island"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"mvp-post-title left entry-title\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast at Kachchativu island<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/island.lk\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/island.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/st-anthny-1.jpg\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"mvp-feat-caption\" style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Fort Hammenhiel<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"mvp-content-wrap\" class=\"left relative\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div class=\"mvp-post-soc-out right relative\">\n<div class=\"mvp-post-soc-wrap left relative\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/island.lk\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Island<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The famous St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast this year was held on 14 and 15 March. St. Anthony, as per Catholic belief, gives protection and looks after fishermen and seafarers like me. Many Buddhist seafarers are believers in St. Anthony and they usually keep a statue of the saint in their cabins in the ship or craft.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">St. Anthony died on 13th June 1231 at age of 35 years, at Padua in Holy Roman Empire and was canonized on 30 May 1232 by Pope Gregory IX.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">I was unable to attend last year\u2019s feast as I was away in Pakistan as Sri Lanka\u2019s High Commissioner. I was more than happy to learn that Indians were also attending the feast this year and there would be 4,000 devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">I decided to travel to Kankesanturai (KKS) Jaffna by train and stay at my usual resting place, Fort Hammenhiel Resort, a Navy-run boutique hotel, which was once a prison, where JVP leaders, including Rohana Wijeweera were held during the 1971 insurrection. I was fortunate to turn this fort on a tiny islet in Kytes lagoon into a four-star boutique hotel and preserve Wijeweera\u2019s handwriting in 2012, when I was the Commander Northern Naval Area.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/island.lk\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/island.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/DI-P06-21-03-TAS.jpg\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">I invite you to visit Fort Hammenhiel during your next trip to Jaffna and see Wijeweera\u2019s handwriting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The train left Colombo Fort Railway Station on time (0530 hrs\/14th) and reached KKS at 1410 hrs. I was highly impressed with the cleanliness and quality of railway compartments and toilets. When I sent a photograph of my railway compartment to my son, he texted me asking \u201cDad, are you in an aircraft or in a train compartment? \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Well done Sri Lanka Railways! Please keep up your good work. No wonder foreign tourists love train rides, including the famous Ella Odyssey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Travelling on board a train is comfortable, relaxed and stress free! As a frequent traveller on A 9 road to Jaffna, which is stressful due to oncoming heavy vehicles on. This was a new experience and I enjoyed the ride, sitting comfortably and reading a book received from my friend in New York- Senaka Senaviratne\u2014\u2019Hillbilly Elegy\u2019 by US Vice President JD Vance. The book is an international best seller.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">My buddy, Commodore (E) Dissanayake (Dissa), a brilliant engineer who built Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Plants for North, North Central and North Western provinces to help prevent chronic kidney disease is the Commodore Superintendent Engineering in the Northern Naval Area. He was waiting at the KKS railway station to receive me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">I enjoyed a cup of tea at Dissa\u2019s chalet at our Northern Naval Command Headquarters in KKS and proceeded to Fort Hammenhiel at Karainagar, a 35-minute drive from KKS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The acting Commanding Officer of Karainagar Naval Base (SLNS ELARA) Commander Jayawardena (Jaye) was there at Fort Hammenhiel Restaurant to have late lunch with me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Jaye was a cadet at Naval and Maritime Academy, (NMA) Trincomalee, when I was Commandant in 2006, NMA was under artillery fire from LTTE twice, when those officers were cadets and until we destroyed enemy gun positions, and the army occupied Sampoor south of the Trincomalee harbour. I feel very proud of Jaye, who is a Commander now (equal to Army rank Lieutenant Colonel) and Commanding a very important Naval Base in Jaffna.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/island.lk\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/island.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/hj.jpg\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The present Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda had been in SLNS ELARA a few hours before me and he had left for the Delft Island on an inspection tour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Commander Jaye was very happy because his Divisional Officer, when he was a cadet, was Vice Admiral Kanchana (then Lieutenant Commander). I had lunch and rested for a few hours before leaving Karainagar in an Inshore Patrol Craft heading to Kachchativu Island by1730 hrs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The sea was very calm due to inter-monsoon weather and we reached Kachchativu Island by 1845 hrs. Devotees from both Sri Lanka and India had already reached the island. The Catholic Bishop of Sivagangai Diocese, Tamil Nadu India His Eminence Lourdu Anandam and Vicar General of Jaffna Diocese Very Rev Fr. PJ Jabaratnam were already there in Kachchativu together with more than 100 priests and nuns from Sri Lanka and India. It was a solid display of brotherhood of two neighbouring nations united together at this tiny island to worship God. They were joined by 8,000 devotees, with 4,000 from each country).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/island.lk\/st-anthonys-church-feast-at-kachchativu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/island.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/st-anthny-11.jpg\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">All logistics\u2014food, fresh water, medical facilities\u2014were provided by the Sri Lanka Navy. Now, this festival has become a major annual amphibious operation for Navy\u2019s Landing Craft fleet, led by SLNS Shakthi (Landing Ship tanks). The Navy establishes a temporary base in a remote island which does not have a drop of drinking water, and provides food and water to 8,000 persons. The event is planned and executed commendably well under Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Thusara Karunathilake. The Sri Lankan government allocates Rs 30 million from the annual national budget for this festival, which is now considered a national religious festival.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The Indian devotees enjoy food provided by SLN. They have the highest regard for our Navy. The local devotees are from the Jaffna Diocese, mainly from the Delft Island and helped SLN. Delft Pradeshiya Sabha and AGA Delft Island. A very efficient lady supervised all administrative functions on the Island. Sri Lanka Police established a temporary police station with both male and female officers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">As usual, the Sinhalese devotees came from Negombo, Chilaw, Kurunegala and other areas, bringing food enough for them and their Catholic brothers and sisters from India! Children brought biscuits, milk toffee,\u00a0<i>kalu dodol<\/i>\u00a0and cakes to share with Indian and Jaffna devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">In his sermon on 22nd December 2016, when he declared open the new Church built by SLN from financial contributions from Navy officers and sailors, Jaffna Bishop Rt Rev Dr Justin Bernard Ganapragasam said that day \u201cthe new Church would be the Church of Reconciliation\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The church was magnificent at night. Sitting on the beach and looking at the beautiful moon-lit sea, light breeze coming from the North East direction and listening to beautiful hymns sung by devotees praising Saint Anthony, I thanked God and remembered all my friends who patrolled those seas and were no more with us. Their dedication, and bravery out at sea brought lasting peace to our beloved country. But today WHO REMEMBERS THEM?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The rituals continued until midnight. Navy Commander and the Indian Consul General in Jaffna Sai Murali attended the Main Mass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The following morning (15) the Main Mass was attended by Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and his family. It was a great gesture by the Navy Commander to attend the feast with his family. I had a long discussion with Indian Consul General Jaffna Sai Mulari about frequent incidents of Indian trawlers engaging in bottom trawling in Sri Lankan waters and what we should do as diplomats to bring a lasting solution to this issue, as I was highly impressed with this young Indian diplomat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The Vicar General of the Jaffna Diocese, my dear friend, Very Rev Father P J Jabarathnam also made an open appeal to all Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen to protect the environment. I was fortunate to attend yet another St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast in Kachchativu.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><em><strong>By Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne WV,<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><em><strong>RWP&amp; Bar, RSP, VSV, USP, NI (M) (Pakistan), ndc, psn,Bsc (Hons) (War Studies) (Karachi) MPhil (Madras)Former Navy Commander and Former Chief of Defense Staff Former Chairman, Trincomalee Petroleum Terminals Ltd<br \/>\nFormer Managing Director Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Former High Commissioner to Pakistan<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/elanka-newsletter-sign-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly to your inbox!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast at Kachchativu island Fort Hammenhiel Source:Island The famous St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast this year was held on 14 and 15 March. St. Anthony, as per Catholic belief, gives protection and looks after fishermen and seafarers like me. Many Buddhist seafarers are believers in St. Anthony and they usually keep a statue [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":150823,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[78356,78357,78358,29395,78355],"class_list":{"0":"post-150822","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"tag-commander-northern-naval-area","9":"tag-rear-admiral-thusara-karunathilake","10":"tag-rev-dr-justin-bernard-ganapragasam","11":"tag-st-anthonys-church","12":"tag-vice-admiral-kanchana-banagoda","13":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast at Kachchativu island<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The famous St. Anthony\u2019s Church feast this year was held on 14 and 15 March. 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