Thomas_Savundaranayagam
Right Reverend Emmanuel Thomas Savundaranayagam (Tamil: இம்மானுவேல் தோமசு சௌந்தரநாயகம், Sinhala: තෝමස් සවුන්ද්රනායගම්; born 13 July 1938) is a Sri Lankan Tamil priest and former Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna.
Thomas Savundaranayagam | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Jaffna | |
| Native name | தோமசு சௌந்தரநாயகம் |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Colombo |
| Diocese | Jaffna |
| Installed | 6 July 1992 |
| Term ended | 13 October 2015 |
| Predecessor | Bastiampillai Deogupillai |
| Successor | Justin Gnanapragasam |
| Other post(s) | Bishop of Mannar (1981-92) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1938-07-13) 13 July 1938 (age 85) |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Urbaniana University |
Savundaranayagam was born on 13 July 1938 in Kayts on the island of Velanaitivu in northern Ceylon.[1][2] He was educated at St. Anthony's College, Kayts and St. Patrick's College, Jaffna.[3][4] He then studied at St. Martin's Seminary, Jaffna and National Seminary, Ampitiya (1957–64).[2] Savundaranayagam has a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a Diploma in Catechetics.[2]
Savundaranayagam was ordained as a priest in December 1963.[1][2] After his ordination he served as an assistant parish priest at St. Mary's Cathedral, Jaffna for few years.[5] In January 1981 he was appointed Bishop of Mannar and was ordained as a bishop in July 1981 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu.[1][2] He became Bishop of Jaffna in July 1992.[1][2] He retired in October 2015.[6]
Savundaranayagam is a strong activist for Tamil rights in Sri Lanka and humanitarian efforts in what is sometimes called "Tamil Eelam".[7][8] He had called for international intervention to stop the Sri Lankan conflict.[9]
- "Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam". Catholic Hierarchy.
- "Past Bishops". St Patrick's College, Jaffna Old Boys' Association, Colombo Branch. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014.
- Rasaiya, Christy (16 July 2000). "St. Patrick's 150 years old". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
- "Bishop's Golden Jubilee, Souvenir". Pathukavalan. 130 (13): 16. 2006.
- "Pope appoints new bishop in Jaffna, S. Lanka". Vatican Radio. 13 October 2015.
- "Jaffna bishop hails gesture". The Hindu. 1 January 2009.
- Kremmer, Janaki (14 January 2005). "Distrust between Sri Lanka, rebels hampers tsunami aid". The Christian Science Monitor.
- "Sri Lankan Bishop calls for international intervention to stop war". Alertnet. Caritas Internationalis. 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title | Bishop of Mannar 24 January 1981 – 6 July 1992 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Jaffna 6 July 1992 – 13 October 2015 |
Succeeded by |