History of the Diocese in Tamil (இரத்தினபுரி கத்தோலிக்க மறைமாவட்டத்தின் சுருக்கமான வரலாறு)

History of the Diocese in Tamil (ரத்னபுர கத்தோலிக்க மறைமாவட்டத்தின் சுருக்கமான வரலாறு)
History of the Diocese:
The Diocese of Ratnapura was established as an autonomous Diocese on the 2nd November 1995 by Pope John Paul II, (now St John Paul II). It was carved out of the Diocese of Galle. Rt Rev Mgr. Albert Malcolm Ranjith, (now Cardinal Archbishop of Colombo) was appointed as its first Bishop and was installed on the 5th of January 1996.
Rt Rev Mgr. Malcolm Ranjith served the Diocese as its 1st Local Ordinary from the 5th of January 1996 to the 01st October 2001. Mgr. Malcolm Ranjith was transferred to Propaganda Fide in Rome on the 1st of October 2001, entrusted with higher responsibility.
The See of Ratnapura thus remained vacant for 1 year and 5 months, until Rt. Rev. Mgr Harold Anthony Perera was appointed as its 2nd Bishop by Pope John Paul II on 29th January 2003. He was consecrated at St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Colombo on the 18th March 2003 by Rt. Rev. Dr. Malcolm Ranjith and he was installed on the 22nd March 2003 at Sts. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral Ratnapura. Then he was transferred to the vacant See of Galle on the 18th March 2005.
Then, Rev. Fr. Ivan Thilak Jayasundera of Kandy Diocese was appointed as the Bishop of the diocese of Ratnapura on 20th January 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI. Since he decided to resign on 6th July 2006 before he was consecrated as Bishop, he remained only as of the Bishop-elect for the Diocese of Ratnapura.
Thus Rt. Rev. Mgr. Cletus Chandrasiri Perera OSB was appointed as its 3rd Bishop on 4th May 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. He was consecrated in the Basilica of the 12 Apostles in Rome on the 11th of July 2007 by Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando and was installed on the 28th of July 2007 at Sts. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral Ratnapura.