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St. Paul’s Church was built in 1846 in contempt of the sanctity of Sri Dalada Maligava, in flagrant violation of Article 5 of the Kandyan Convention 1815, and betrayal of the trust of the Buddhists and their unqualified opposition to imposing a Church in the immediate vicinity of the sacred Temple of the Tooth.

The construction of St. Paul’s Church, Kandy carries a highly contentious colonial history that directly intersects with local religious sentiments and the terms of British rule in Sri Lanka. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Historical Context and Grievances

• Kandyan Convention Violation: Critics and local historians point out that building a Christian church within the immediate square of the Sri Dalada Maligawa violated Article 5 of the Kandyan Convention of 1815. This article explicitly guaranteed that the Buddhist religion, its rites, and its places of worship would be maintained and protected as sacred by the British Crown. [1, 2, 3]
• Encroachment on Sacred Grounds: The church was erected on land historically known as Alakolamediththa or Ehelepolawatte, situated right next to the Temple of the Tooth and the ancient Magul Maduwa (Royal Audience Hall). For many Buddhists, placing a prominent symbol of British ecclesiastical power directly adjacent to their holiest shrine was viewed as an act of defiance against the local faith. [1, 2, 3]
• The Audience Hall Dispute: Before the physical church opened for worship in 1846, the British military garrison and colonial officials frequently used the Magul Maduwa itself for Christian services. Local Sinhalese populations protested this use of a royal Buddhist hall for Christian worship. In response, the colonial administration insisted that judges, lawyers, and military personnel required a dedicated Anglican church to swear oaths before God, leading to the allocation of the nearby land. [1, 2, 3]

Resolution and Current Status

The modern management of the area has sought to balance historical grievances with preservation. When the surroundings were demarcated into the official Kandy Sacred City Precinct, certain secular facilities, such as the adjacent St. Paul’s College school, were physically relocated to respect the boundaries of the temple. [1, 2]

However, despite requests from some Buddhist factions over the decades to completely remove the structure, St. Paul’s Church was left intact due to its archaeological and architectural significance as a Grade II listed colonial heritage site. Today, while it remains a reminder of colonial-era religious imposition, it is also frequently cited by local tourism authorities as a complex symbol of the multicultural and multi-religious history of Kandy. [1, 2, 3]

Would you like to explore archival documents regarding the protests against the church, or read the exact phrasing of Article 5 of the Kandyan Convention?

https://share.google/aimode/4zCiUOWXXW26d3e6s

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