Archaeology officials informed after ancient tomb discovered at church premises in Wennappuwa

The Department of Archaeology has been notified after the discovery of a tomb believed to be hundreds of years old during construction work being carried out at the Our Lady of Assumption’s Church at Bolawatta, Wennappuwa.

Parish priest Rev. Fr. Neville Sebastien said workers discovered the tomb about 10 feet below the surface while engaging in construction work at the site. 

The church is one of the oldest churches in the Puttalam district. It had served as a place of refuge to Catholics who were persecuted durng the period of Dutch colonial rule. One of the priests who had done a lot to safeguard Catholics in the area during this time was Fr. Jacome Gonsalves, who was based at this church. 

Exactly who is buried inside the tomb is currently a mystery and the Archaeology Department has been informed to conduct further investigations into the issue. 

A large number of people are currently visiting the church to get a glimpse of the tomb. 

Text and Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe