Venerable Dhiloraj Ranjith Canagasabey elected next Bishop of Colombo

The Venerable Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey was elected as the 15th Bishop of Colombo by the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Colombo of the Anglican Church, on Saturday 5 March 2011.

At a special session of the Diocese of Colombo held at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Ven. Canagasabey was elected without contest, obtaining more than the constitutionally required majority from both the Houses of Clergy as well as Laity.

Bishop-elect Dhiloraj Canagasabey is presently Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya and resides in Bandarawela, serving as Chaplain of St. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela, where he was also the Headmaster for a short period.

He is an old boy of St Michael’s College, Batticaloa, and had his education and formation under the Jesuits of the Roman Catholic Church. Ven. Canagasabey followed his theological training at the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa, obtaining his Bachelor’s degrees in Theology and later Divinity, from the University of Serampore.

He was ordained a Deacon in 1983 and a Priest one year later. He served in several parishes before appointment as Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya in 1997. Prior to entering the ministry, he was in the hospitality industry and worked at the former Hotel Lanka Oberoi.He is married to Harshini and has a daughter, Dhilukshini, and a son, Dhiranjan.

The Role of the Bishop in the Anglican Church is a unique one in that he is the focus of unity, carrying all people together and giving them the spiritual inspiration to live out their baptismal lives, which demands transference from a ‘self centred’ life to an ‘other- centred’ life. He also plays the role of Under Shepherd to the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, and exercises pastoral care over his clergy.  

Bishop-elect Dhiloraj Canagasabey’s episcopal ordination and installation as the next Bishop of Colombo is scheduled to be held on Saturday 14 May 2011 at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, Colombo.