The episcopal ordination of Fr. Nishantha Sagara Jayamanna, appointed as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Anuradhapura by Pope Leo XIV in December 2025, was held on 28th February.
The ordination ceremony was held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral presided over by Rt. Rev. Dr. Norbert Andradi.
The event was attended by Rt. Rev. Dr. Winston Fernando, Bishop emeritus of Badulla; Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wickramasinghe, Bishop of Galle; Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith; Rt. Rev. Dr. Anton Ranjith, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo; Monsignor Roberto Lucchini; Rt. Rev. Dr. Christian Noel Emmanuel, Bishop of Trincomalee; Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin Gnanapragasam, Bishop of Jaffna; Rt. Rev. Dr. Antonipillai Gnanapragasam, Bishop of Mannar; Rt. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Fernando, Bishop emeritus of Mannar; along with other bishops, priests, religious sisters, and a large gathering of the faithful.
The newly ordained Bishop, Nishantha Sagara Jayamanne, completed his philosophical and theological studies at Kandy Ambitiya National Seminary and pursued a specialization in philosophy at Angelicum University. He was ordained as a priest in the year 2000.
He has served in various capacities, including Treasurer and Rector of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation; Acting Parish Priest of St. Thomas’ Church, Matale, and St. Philip Neri Church; Assistant Novice Master and Novice Master in Kangwella; Treasurer of the Petta community; Director of the AIMAT Campbell Spiritual Formation Centre in Kangwella; Lecturer in Philosophy at the National Seminary in Kandy; and Rector of the Blessed Sacrament Seminary in Ampitiya, Kandy.
