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Doomsday went like just any other day
View(s):By Sonja Candappa, Pic by K. Devapriya
Ancienct Mayan predictions that the world would end on Friday, December 21, 2012, had people around the world worried, including Sri Lankans.
An unusual number of devotees were seen at the Maha Devale in Kataragama on Friday.
The Sunday Times discussed the doomsday predictions with members of the public, including the clergy.
Rev. Benedict Joseph, spokesperson for the Archbishop’s House, said the Roman Catholic Church did not hold any special masses to coincide with the so- called “world’s end”. “The church believes that one day the world will end, but not this Friday,” she said.
Nazushan Hassen, General Secretary, Colombo Grand Mosque, also believed the world would end some day, “but it’s definitely not going to be today or tomorrow.”
Members of the Hindu clergy said special prayers for devotees who made private requests for blessings.
Colombo resident Naomi de Silva said Lord Buddha predicted that Buddhism in Sri Lanka would last for 5,000 years. “We just celebrated 2,500 years of Buddhism in Sri Lanka,” she said. “There’s a long way more till the end of the Buddhism,” she said.
Nadeesha Paulis saw December 21 as a new beginning. “This is the day to set new goals, new dreams, new beginnings,” she said.
“I don’t believe any of it, all the talk of the Mayan calendar and the giant solar storm,” said Luigi Bernard, 22, of Welisara. “The Mayans’ Long Count calendar notes that 2012 marks the end of a 5,000 year cycle. It is just the end of a cycle for an ancient culture. According to NASA, there is solar activity that peaks every 11 years. During these peaks, solar flares can interrupt satellite communications.”
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