On 19th August 2022, we commemorated 100 Years in Laying of the Foundation Stone of our College Chapel with a special Communion Service held in the Chapel at 08.00am.
The Service was graced by Rt. Revd. Keerthisiri Fernando (Bishop of Kurunagala and the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Ceylon), Rt. Revd. Dushantha Rodrigo (Bishop of Colombo and Chairman of the Board of Governors), and Rt. Revd. Kumara Illangasinghe (Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Kurunagala).
The Foundation Stone
TO THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD
THIS STONE WAS LAID BY THE MOST REVEREND FOSS WESTCOTT D.D. LORD BISHOP OF CALCUTTA AND METROPOLITAN OF INDIA AND CEYLON
19TH AUGUST 1922
A reflection of the Mission and Purpose of the Chapel
Excerpts from the writings of J. McLeod Campbell and Dedication of the Chapel – 1935
On August the 19th on the occasion of the College Jubilee, Dr. Foss Westcott Metropolitan of India and Ceylon laid the foundation of the Trinity College Chapel. It was built to carry out the mission of helping the sons of Christian parents to understand, appropriate and apply their faith, and to present the message and Character of Christ to the sons of Non-Christian parents. To quote Rev. John Mcleod Campbell, “I do not underrate the witness of life and work; the daily influence of a strong and united staff by itself creates a permeating Christian atmosphere. Nor do I underrate the witness of the spoken or uttered privately in friendly counsel, uttered in the classroom in the teaching of subjects ‘secular’ as well as ‘sacred’, uttered in the pulpit and assembly hall. But neither do I underrate the Witness of Worship”. A beautiful Chapel is no mere appendage, but it is valued as an integral part of the corporate life and equipment of all places set apart for sound learning; this is no mere concession to and inherited tradition, but is found to correspond to the needs and living experience of the present. The Chapel in its beauty was meant to have an evidential value of its own, a power to reflect and reveal and bring home to the hearts of people the character of the God we worship. Rev. Fraser chose the most commanding site in the compound and set to work to build for posterity, to build a thing of beauty. The Chapel was dedicated with a covenant made with God: “that hereafter no man should enter therein except he be on worship bent, intent to seek God’s presence, to meditate upon His Holy Word, or partake of His Holy Sacrament.”
“That this place shall be for ever sacred, inviolate unto the Lord.”
The Commemoration Service was attended by many students, members of the staff and well-wishers. The Service was followed by a fellowship breakfast held on the Chapel lawn.
We are honoured to publish a video message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, in connection with the commemoration of 100 years in laying of the Foundation of the Trinity College Chapel.
A special event took place after the Service when the Unamboowe Family of Gampola presented the School, a few original architectural drawings of the Chapel: Floor plan of the Chapel on a scale of 1’’: 4’, Section Drawings of the Chapel Pillars, Full size elevation of a Pillar, and a Cross Section of Chapel.
Another valuable architectural drawing of a famous Trinity College Kandy building was also found with these Chapel Drawings; the Architectural Drawings of the “Gaster Block” also prepared in 1924 by Clement Unamboowe and signed off by the new Principal Rev Mc Leod Campbell.
Photo album by the Trinity College Media Unit (Photographed by: Yasassvi Wijesekara and Linuka Mallikaarahchi)
