The main commemoration took place at St. Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, beginning in the morning under the leadership of His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. The event saw the participation of religious leaders of all faiths, diplomats, and families of the victims.
Sri Lanka marked the sixth anniversary of the Easter Sunday terror attacks on April 21, 2025, with a series of commemorative events held across the country.
At 8:15 AM, a special religious service was held at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, led by His Lordship Maxwell Silva and Rev. Fr. J.D. Anthony. At 8:45 AM, bells rang at all religious places across the country, followed by a two-minute silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives. The public was encouraged to pause and reflect during this time.
Reverend Father Jude Krishantha Fernando, the National Director of Catholic Communications, had urged the public to support this national act of remembrance, which was widely observed.
The day’s events continued into the evening. At 4:30 PM, 10 families of the victims were presented with new houses in Katuwapitiya during a special ceremony. Later, at 5:30 PM, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith formally announced that the Holy See (Vatican) had accepted the victims of the Easter attacks as witnesses of faith. The announcement was followed by another religious service.
The Easter Sunday terror attacks, which occurred on April 21, 2019, targeted several major churches across Sri Lanka and selected hotels in Colombo, claiming the lives of over 250 people and injuring hundreds more.
