The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom Rohitha Bogollagama paid a courtesy call on Archbishop of Canterbury Right Reverend Justin Welby on 11 January 2024 at the Lambeth Palace, London. Anglican paternity led by the Archbishop prayed at the St-Mary-at-Lambeth church for the salvation of Sri Lanka before the meeting.
The High Commissioner and the Archbishop recalled the history of the Church of Ceylon which was established in 1845 as an extra-provincial jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury and exchanged views on the reforms to be proposed for the Church of Sri Lanka.
The Archbishop recalled his memory of visiting the Temple of Tooth Relic during his tour to Sri Lanka in 2019. The High Commissioner briefed the Archbishop on the Buddhist heritage and the evolution of Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka.
Two dignitaries had an extended dialog on a broad range of topics relevant to Sri Lanka, including the country's current economic and political situation, its international relations, the United Kingdom's economic relations with Sri Lanka, and the reconciliation process. The Archbishop opinionated that a reconciliation process must be born from within the relevant community in order for it to be effective.
Archbishop Justin Welby is the 105th archbishop of Canterbury since 2013 and is the Primate of All England and the symbolic head primus inter pares of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
London
16 January 2024
