The 7th Archbishop of Colombo, Most Reverend Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando has been called to eternal rest on Friday (10) at the age of 87.

He has passed away at his residence “Emmaus House” at Tewatte, Ragama.

Born on December 6, 1932, in Munnakkara, Negombo, Rev. Fernando was educated at Roman Catholic Mixed School in Munnakkara and St. Mary’s College in Negombo.

He then entered St. Aloysius Seminary in Borella in 1945 and passed the SSC Examination in 1949 and the London University BA Examination in 1953. He entered St. Bernard’s Major Seminary in the same year for philosophical studies.

He was sent to Collegio de Propaganda Fide in Rome in the following year, to pursue his studies and obtained Baccalaureate and Licentiate degrees in Philosophy from Urban University in Rome in 1955 and 1956, respectively. He also obtained a Baccalaureate in Theology in two years later.

Rev. Fernando was ordained as a priest in 1959, in Rome and the following year he returned to Sri Lanka. He was sent back to Rome to read for his Doctorate in Moral Theology which he achieved in 19176.

He was elevated as the Archbishop of Colombo on March 30, 1977, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI and became the youngest to be appointed to the office at the age of 44. Rev. Fernando served as the Archbishop of Colombo until July 6, 2002.

The Archdiocesan Director for Social Communication Fr. Jude Chrysantha Fernando, stated that the government has decided to give a State Funeral as His Lordship had served as the Archbishop of Colombo for more than 25 years.

His mortal remains have been brought to the Archbishop House chapel this evening and will be taken to St. Mary’s church at Grand Street, Negombo tomorrow morning.

The Funeral mass will be celebrated at 2 pm on Monday (13) St. Mary’s Church, Grand Street, he added.

Fr. Jude Fernando advised the Catholic community not to visit the remains and not to participate in the funeral service taking into account the prevailing in of the country.