The Diocese of Trincomalee

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The Diocese of Trincomalee

The diocese of Trincomalee covers 2,727 square kilometers comprising the civil district. Trincomalee is derived from the Tamil name Thiru-kona-malai, meaning "Holy-East Hill". Hindu civilization flourished here during the reign of the South Indian emperors of the Chola Dynasty. Trincomalee is a port city on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka, about 257 kilometers northeast of Colombo. The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbors. Trincomalee diocese is adjacent to Jaffna in the north, Colombo in the west, Galle in the south, Kandy in the central region and Kurunegala. The 2012 census counted 378,182 people in this diocese, whom it identified 14,795 as Catholics. Standard Tamil language is in use. Sinhalese language is used in some areas.

Trincomalee has one of the world's finest natural harbors and can accommodate large vessels. This fact led to Trincomalee being captured in turn by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British from the 16th to the 19th centuries. It is an important trading city between Sri Lanka and the outside world. Trincomalee lies in the region of Sri Lanka where most of the population is Tamil and Islam by religion. Trincomalee and its environs are sacred to Hindus as well as Buddhists. Tiriyayi, 47 kilometers north of Trincomalee, is a place of Buddhist interest. The ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery have been discovered here. Ancient ruined temples, beautiful beaches, lagoons, hot springs, vast agricultural lands and tourist hotels can be seen here. The town also has the largest Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka. Trincomalee enjoys warm weather all year round. Trincomalee diocese was one of the places hardest hit by the 2004 tsunami.