The Church of CeylonThe General AssemblyWhere the Dioceses of Colombo and Kurunegala meet together
The General Assembly is the body in which the Dioceses of Colombo and Kurunegala meet together as the Church of Ceylon.
- The Bishop of Kurunegala Presiding Bishop
- The Bishop of Colombo Vice President
- Mr Chrishan Fernando Secretary
- Mr Jit Warnakulasuriya Treasurer
Boards and Commissions of the Church of Ceylon:
- Joint Liturgical Commission
- Joint Theological Commission
- Communications Board
The BishopThe Rt Revd Dushantha Lakshman Rodrigo, 16th Bishop of Colombo
The Bishop of Colombo is the chief shepherd of the Diocese. He ordains, confirms, licenses clergy, oversees congregations and gives the Diocese its direction. The Bishop is appointed under the Constitution of the Church of Ceylon.
Governing bodyThe Diocesan CouncilBishop, clergy and elected lay representatives. Meets each October.
The Council is the highest legislative body of the Diocese. It consists of the Bishop, the clergy, lay representatives elected by the parishes, and the nominees of the Bishop and the Standing Committee. It began as the Diocesan Synod in 1885 and became the Diocesan Council in 1930. It meets in annual sessions each October. The 140th Annual Sessions were held from 23 to 25 October 2025.
Between sessionsThe Standing CommitteeChaired by the Bishop and implements decisions on behalf of the Council
The Standing Committee carries out the work of the Council and submits its report along with a narrative of the work done through the boards, committees and institutions.
- The four Archdeacons
- The Registrar
- The Diocesan Secretary
- The Treasurer
- Chairperson of the Incorporated Trustees
- Elected clergy and elected and co-opted laity
The Diocese is governed under the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Ceylon, which balance the authority of the Bishop against the participation of clergy and laity. The present Constitution was adopted by the Diocesan Council in 2011.