In the seaside suburb of Gurunagar stands St. Mary's Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna and known locally as Periye Kovil — "the big church". Tradition holds that a chapel first rose here over the ashes of a prince of the Jaffna kingdom, killed after converting to Catholicism under King Cankili I.
The church itself was built between 1789 and 1794, late in the Dutch period, along simple classical lines — and it is striking above all for its sheer size. When the old building could no longer hold its congregation, work on a new cathedral began in 1939 and was finally completed in 1975. Visitors are welcome outside Mass times.
Good to know
- Modest dress is appreciated — this is an active place of worship
- Minutes from Jaffna Fort; the two combine into one Gurunagar stop
- Quietest mid-morning on weekdays
- Sunday Mass is a moving experience if you're respectfully curious