The arrival of Christianity in Sri Lanka goes back a long way. Did St. Thomas the Apostle go as far as Sri Lanka? He did make it to India during the 1st century, but it is difficult to ascertain if he actually reached Sri Lanka as well. If this early contact is shrouded in mystery, there is some evidence that communities of Nestorian Christians in Sri Lanka in the 5th and 6th century.
The name Cosmas Indicopleustes may not be widely known, but this merchant reported the existence of these communities in his Christian Topography (circa 550). This circumstantial evidence was further corroborated by the 1912 discovery of a cross carved on a fragment of a granite pillar, which is also thought to date back to the 5th or 6th century. Making a giant leap to the 19th century, Christians constituted 12.6 percent of the Sri Lankan population (1891 census). In the 21st century, the percentage decreased slightly to 7.4 percent (2012 census).
Prior to the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka, there used to be much smaller church with a replica of the Lourdes Grotto on the same site. During WWII, the archbishop of Colombo, Jean-Marie Masson, feared that Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) might face widespread destruction as a result of its involvement in the conflict, and vowed to build a basilica if the country were spared. True to the vow, construction work began in 1948, and in 1950 the cornerstone of the basilica was laid. Twenty-four years later, in 1974, the construction was finally completed, and the basilica received official consecration.
The design that was selected for the basilica was a blend of Singhalese and Western sensibilities, specifically created to resonate with the local population. Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka has a customary central nave with an aisle on each side. At the far end, the altar is located in the semi-circular apse, which also conforms to Western architectural canons for churches. What is unusual about this basilica, however, is the presence of wide verandas that form a liminal space between the sacred space within the building, and the secular space without. The roofline also features conspicuous eaves that mirrors the design of traditional Sri Lankan buildings.
One additional feature of Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka is its cruciform base, which is particularly obvious when seen from above. The shape of the building stands out in stark contrast with the thick vegetation of the park in which it is located. The size of this park is approximately 25 hectares (62 acres), which is quite substantial considering that this site is on the outskirts of Colombo.
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