New president, papal visit brings hope to Sri Lankan Christians

A new president and a visit from Pope Francis brought joy and hope to Sri Lankans last week.

Pope Francis arrived Jan. 12, shortly after voters elected Maithripala Sirisena as their next leader. Sirisena’s victory was a surprising upset of the authoritarian incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa who has held the presidency since 2005.

Throughout his visit, Francis called for unity and reconciliation in the nation that endured a long and bloody ethno-religious civil war between 1983 and 2009.

Sri Lanka is a small island nation off the coast of India whose ethnically Sinhalese majority is mostly Buddhist. The country is officially secular, but the constitution gives Buddhism priority. Sri Lanka’s population also includes ethnic Tamils, many of whom are Hindu, along with minority populations of Muslims and Christians of both ethnicities. The Christian minority is predominantly, but not exclusively, Catholic.

Tens of thousands attended mass in the capital city of Columbo, during which the pope canonized Joseph Vaz, a 17th century missionary to Sri Lanka.

“St. Joseph shows us the importance of transcending religious divisions in the service of peace,” Francis told the crowd during the homily. “As the life of St. Joseph Vaz teaches us, genuine worship of God bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred, and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all.” Francis gave his message in English, but it was translated for the crowd in both Sinhalese and Tamil.

“It was an event that people, despite their faith, seemed to have thronged to participate in,” said Roshan Mendis of the community development organization LEADS. “His remarks were well received especially against a backdrop of hope for change.”

Although Catholics celebrated the hope brought by the country’s new president during the pope’s visit, they’re not the only ones feeling optimistic, Mendis said. Everyone who suffered under the previous regime is looking forward to the new administration.

The president already has taken steps to improve relations with the Tamil minority. On Jan. 14, he announced the appointment of H.M.G.S. Palihakkara as governor in northern Sri Lanka, replacing an ex-military governor much criticized by Tamils in the region’s provincial government. Sirisena also promised to investigate war crimes allegations on both sides of the conflict.

Sri Lanka’s National Peace Council issued a press release praising the pope’s visit and the opportunity it provided for people to show each other “goodwill.”

“The visit of Pope Francis to Sri Lanka most importantly offered the possibility of collectively remembering the past and its costs and striving together as citizens of one country to find the way to a just and mutually acceptable political solution that ensures that such a collective tragedy will never occur again,” the organization said.

The country’s long civil war pitted the Sinhalese government against the Tamil minority after the government adopted Sinhalese as the official language and gave Buddhism higher standing, according to the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. It estimates 100,000 were killed during the protracted war, including Muslims and Christians “caught in the crossfire.”

Sri Lanka ranks 44th on Open Door’s World Watch List of countries where Christians are persecuted. According to the list, Buddhist nationalism is the primary source of persecution.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.