The newly constructed St. Anthony's Church in Kachchativu, built by the Sri Lanka Navy was vested to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna on the 23rd (December 2016).
According to Navy media, Bishop of Jaffna, His Lordship Rt. Revd. Dr. Justin Bernard Gnanapragasam officially received the new church from the Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne during a ceremony held at the church.
Sri Lanka Navy had built the church on responding to a request made by the Vicar General of the Jaffna Diocese who highlighted the requirement of constructing a new Church on Kachchativu Island prior the annul feast of 2017. Naval personnel had provided financial contributions for the project to construct the church.Governor of the Northern Province Hon. Reginald Cooray, Vicar General of the Diocese of Jaffna, Very Revd. Fr. Pathinathar Josephthas Jebaratnam, Parish Priest of Delft Revd. Fr. AJ Antony Jeyaranjan, Consul General of India in Jaffna Mr. Shri A Natarajan, District Secretary of Jaffna,Commander Northern Naval Area, senior officers and a large number devotees from Sri Lanka and India attended the event.Kachchativu is a small island which is used by fishermen to mend their fishing gear after their work at sea.
The small St. Anthony's Church had been their place of worship on their visits. The island is 1.15 Square kilometres in area and located 10 km away from the Delft Island. Large number of Sri Lankan and Indian devotees attend the annual Kachchativu feast which is held on the month of February.
