Holy Trinity Chapel | |
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Holy Trinity Chapel of Trinity College, Kandy. | |
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Location | Kandy |
Country | Sri Lanka |
Language(s) | English |
Denomination | Church of Ceylon |
Religious order | Anglicanism |
Churchmanship | Central churchmanship |
Website | trinitycollege |
History | |
Status | Active |
Dedication | Holy Trinity |
Dedicated | 3 March 1935 |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active Collegiate Chapel |
Architect(s) | Lewis John Gaster |
Architectural type | Chapel |
Style | Traditional Sinhalese |
Groundbreaking | 1922 |
Administration | |
Metropolis | Church of England |
Diocese | Diocese of Kurunegala |
Clergy | |
Archbishop | Justin Welby |
Bishop(s) | Keerthisiri Fernando |
Chaplain(s) | Shelton Daniel |
Laity | |
Director of music | Lasantha Tennekoon |
Organist(s) | Sadhana Madasekara |
Music group(s) | Choir of Trinity College, Kandy |
The Trinity College Chapel ("Holy Trinity Church") in Kandy, Sri Lanka is one of the more distinctive church buildings in Sri Lanka. It is situated below the Principal's bungalow at Trinity College, Kandy. The chapel is one of the first and finest examples of the application of indigenous architecture in the design of an Anglican church in the country. [1] The building is modelled on traditional Buddhist architecture, [2] [3] reminiscent of those found in Polonnaruwa, an ancient capital of Sri Lanka, in that it is an open building with a lofty hipped roof supported by numerous carved stone pillars. [4]
In 1918 the school principal of Trinity College, Alexander Garden Fraser (1873-1962) [5] commenced planning for the construction of a chapel, identifying a site within the school grounds. [6] Fraser was the principal of Trinity College between 1904 and 1924. He played a pivotal role in the development of Trinity College from a small provincial school to a national college. The vice principal, Lewis John Gaster (1879-1939), who joined the school in 1910, [7] a qualified architect and draughtsman, prepared the plans for the chapel. [6] Gaster went on to become the principal at King's College in Uganda. [8]
The foundation stone was laid by Foss Westcott, the Metropolitan of India, Burma and Ceylon on 19 August 1922, as part of the school's fiftieth-anniversary celebrations. The original foundation stone of the chapel was laid in front of the main hall, where the car park now stands and was later moved to the outside wall of the chapel, where it can still be seen today.
The construction of the chapel, which commenced in early 1923 and took over twelve years to complete, was overseen by staff members, K. L. B. Tennekoon [9] and H. W. Mediwake. [10]
During construction, nearly 100 craftsmen and labourers were employed. In 1929 the side chapel was the first section to be completed. David Paynter, OBE (1900-1975), [11] a staff member of the college painted the first mural on the southern wall of the side chapel in 1928. [6] In 1930 the side chapel was dedicated as the "Chapel of the Light of the World". [6]
Following the completion of the side chapel, the main chapel and the sanctuary were constructed. These works were completed in 1933 upon which Paynter painted a further mural above the main altar. [6]
The chapel was formally dedicated on 3 March 1935. [6]
In 1954 the original corrugated zinc roof sheets were replaced with calicut tiles, during the course of the re-roofing the murals above the pulpit and lectern were badly damaged. Paynter subsequently repainted these murals, completing the work in 1957.
At the time when most Europeans were content to build churches in their own Gothic style, Gaster deliberately sought inspiration from the local Sinhalese architecture. Prototypes for the Church are to be found at the Royal Audience Hall, Magul Maduwa (Celebration Hall), of the Kingdom of Kandy [12] (built in 1783 by Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha) and the 14th century Embekka Devalaya Shrine near Kandy. [13] The first example of the use of traditional architectural design in Christian churches, also involved both Rev. Fraser and Rev. Gaster was the chapel at the Peradeniya Training Colony, [14] however similar to the Magul Maduwa and the Embekka Shrine the pillars of this chapel are made of wood.
The creation of the stone pillars was supervised by K. L. Siripala, a famous stonemason of the time, to be shaped and carved. Other stone carvers were also brought to Sri Lanka, especially for the purpose of carving the pillars for the chapel. The carvings on the windows of the side of the chapel were done by local craftsmen.
The fifty-four pillars are made of granite quarried in Aruppola, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away. [10] Some, in the chancel, are built-in sections, but most have been hewn out of single blocks (5.5 metres (18 ft) long and 0.9 metres (3.0 ft) square), each of which weighing about 3 metric tons (3.0 t) before carving. The blocks were then hauled up to the college on a trolley by a pair of elephants. [10] The first pillars to be erected, those by the pulpit and the south entrance, were fully carved at the quarry before being transported. The remainder were carved at the site of the chapel.
Each pillar is 4.9 metres (16 ft) in height and 0.6 metres (2.0 ft) square, they are square-based and square capped, with a gently tapering stem, octagonal in shape. [10] Four of the pillars at the northern entrance carry carvings of the 'four beasts' of Revelation. [10] The pillars are surmounted by four pekadas, made of a tough local wood called Gummalu. Each pekada, designed by Bezalel Navaratne, when viewed from below, has been carved to represent an inverted lotus. [10] Many of the beams which the pillars support were also carved by local craftsman. The capitals on ten of the pillars facing the nave are carved with the coats of arms of following British schools and colleges, which made financial donations towards the cost of the chapel: [15] Balliol College, Oxford, Eton College, Marlborough College, Hertford College, Oxford, New College, Oxford, Wellington College, Berkshire, Rossall School, Winchester College, Repton School, Dulwich College.
The roof of the chapel is in the style of a traditional Kandy-style double-pitched roof. [16] [17] It starts at a height of 6 metres (20 ft) and peaks at a height of 16.75 metres (55.0 ft) above the central aisle. The chapel was originally roofed in corrugated zinc roof sheets but these were replaced in 1954 with calicut tiles.
The side chapel, entered from the north transept, was named by the then principal, Rev. McLeod Campbell as "the Chapel of the Light of the World". It was the first part of the chapel to be completed and was formally dedicated on 23 March 1930.
The door and frame are typical Kandyan work. The whole of the south wall of this chapel is covered with an early painting by David Paynter depicting the Mother of James and John making a request to Jesus on behalf of her two sons. The chapel is rich in stone and wood carving. The screen and the grape and the chalice design on the altar were both made by local craftsmen from the original drawings by Gaster. The windows are typical Kandyan, the vertical bars are made of wood and painted with lacquer. The grill on the east was carved locally from a slab of Swedish green marble, like the grills on the sanctuary of the main chapel.
The four murals were the work of the Sri Lankan artist David Paynter, once a member of the staff. Like the chapel itself, they were revolutionary when conceived, in that they portrayed biblical stories a Sri Lankan setting. [18]
Construction of the bell tower commenced in 1965, with the donation of ten slabs by Barney Raymond, an Old Boy. [10] The tower was dedicated on the 8 December 1969, in memory of Rev. Cannon John McLeod Campbell, by Rev. Lakdasa De Mel, the first Bishop of Kurunegala. The bell was received from a parish church in Hemsby in 1971.
Weekly devotions of students at Trinity College during school term, and services on Sunday mornings are held at the chapel. It is also well known for the musical events held there. Nine Lessons and Carols [20] [21] in Advent, and The Cross & Triumph of Christ [22] in Lent by the Trinity College choir and other events [10] [23] [24] are held during the year.
Alexander Garden Fraser, , was a British educator and Anglican vicar. He was one of the founders of Achimota School and the first principal of the school (1924–1935). The other founders were Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, former Governor of the Gold Coast (1919–1927), and James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, the first assistant vice principal (1924–1927).
The Church of Ceylon is the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka. It is an extraprovincial jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who serves as its Metropolitan. It was established in 1845 with the appointment of the first Anglican Bishop of Colombo, James Chapman and until 1950 it consisted of a single diocese; in that year a second diocese was established at Kurunegala.
Embekka Devalaya was built by the King Vikramabahu III of Gampola Era in Sri Lanka. The Devalaya is dedicated to Kataragama deviyo. A local deity called Devatha Bandara is also worshiped at this site. The shrine consists of three sections, the "Sanctum of Garagha", the "Digge" or "Dancing Hall" and the "Hevisi Mandapaya" or the "Drummers' Hall". The Drummers' Hall has drawn the attention of visitors to the site, due to the splendid wood carvings of its ornate pillars and its high pitched roof.
The Royal Palace of Kandy, situated in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, is a captivating historical complex that served as the official residence for the monarchs of the Kingdom of Kandy until the advent of British colonial rule in 1815. Noteworthy for its adherence to traditional Kandyan architectural styles, the palace complex boasts intricate woodwork, finely crafted stone carvings, and ornate wall murals. This complex encompasses a range of structures, including the Audience Hall, the Queen's Palace, the King's Palace, and the renowned Temple of the Tooth Relic. Within this royal domain lies the Temple of the Tooth, a profoundly venerated Buddhist temple with global significance. Both the palace complex and the Temple of the Tooth have earned the prestigious recognition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Most Rev. Lakdasa Jacob De Mel (1902–1976), MA was the first Bishop of Kurunegala, Sri Lanka and the last Metropolitan Archbishop of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon.
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic.
Reverend Walter Stanley Senior was an English scholar, poet and member of the Church Missionary Society. Popularly known as the "Bard of Lanka", his works are still widely read in the island nation. He was also vice principal of Trinity College, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Panavitiya Ambalama is an ambalama situated in Sri Lanka. An ambalama (අම්බලම) is a place constructed for pilgrims, traders and travellers to rest. Panavitiya Ambalama is a place famous for its ornate wood carvings which are regarded to be on par with those at Embekka Devalaya, Lankathilaka and Gadaladeniya Viharas.
David Shillingford Paynter, RA, OBE, was an internationally renowned Sri Lankan painter. He was a pioneer creator of a Sri Lankan idiom in what was essentially a Western art form. His most celebrated works are his murals at the Trinity College Chapel in Kandy and the Chapel of the Transfiguration, at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. The Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau commemorated Christmas in 1996 with two stamps featuring the murals from the Trinity Chapel.
Ridi Viharaya or Silver Temple is a 2nd-century BCE Theravada Buddhist temple in the village of Ridigama, Sri Lanka. Built during the reign of Dutthagamani of Anuradhapura, the temple is considered as the place where the silver ore, which provided silver to complete Ruwanwelisaya; one of the largest stupa in Sri Lanka, was discovered. According to the chronicles Mahavamsa and Thupavamsa, the Ridi Viharaya complex was built in gratitude for helping him cherish his dream of completing Ruwanwelisaya.
Trinity College, Kandy, is an independent Anglican day and boarding school for boys located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1872 by British Anglican missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, modelled on British Public school tradition. Trinity offers primary and secondary education, and is a leading private school in Sri Lanka managed by the Anglican Church of Ceylon.
Cathedral of Christ the King is located on Kandy Road, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. It is the primary Anglican cathedral of the Diocese of Kurunegala, affiliated to the Church of Ceylon.
Gadaladenyia Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Pilimathalawa, Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located on Gadaladenyia Road (B116), just up from the Gadaladeniya junction of the Colombo - Kandy Road (A1), approximately 12.5 km (7.8 mi) to the west of Kandy and 3 km (1.9 mi) from the ancient buddhist temple, Lankatilaka Vihara. It is considered one of the largest rock temples in Sri Lanka.
Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara is a Buddhist rock temple in Amunugama, Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is famous for its Kandyan Era Frescoes. The cave itself was said to have been excavated out of a rock which rises to a height of approximately 12.3 m (40 ft) and shelters the shrine room and entrance chamber.
The Choir of Trinity College, Kandy, Sri Lanka, is a Boys' choir that continues a choral tradition dating back to the school's founding in 1872. The choir plays a central role in Christian worship at the school, which was founded by the Church Missionary Society, and continues its affiliations to the Anglican Church of Ceylon.
Pekada, or pekadaya, are the decorative wooden pillar heads/brackets at the top of a stone or wooden column, known as kapa, supporting a beam or dandu. It is a unique feature of Kandyan architecture.
Korawakgala, or koravakgal (wingstones), are stone balustrades, which are located on either side of the stairs/steps leading to the entrance or door of a religious building or structure. They form one of three distinct architectural features at the entrance of most Buddhist structures in Sri Lanka, being the sandakada pahana (moonstone), muragala (guardstones) and the korawakgala (wingstones).
Arnolis (Arnold) Alexander Weerasooriya was the first Ceylonese Colonel of the Salvation Army, also serving as Second in Command of the Indian sub-continent 1887–1888. He was a member of the Weerasooriya family of Dodanduwa and Hikkaduwa, and he is understood to be the first Sinhalese member of the Salvation Army.
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