Church of the Transfiguration, Buona Vista

The chapel had been dedicated by the Bishop of Colombo the Rt. Rev. Cecil Douglas Horsely on 30 October, 1940.

In the early 1970’s the congregation of Buona Vista, Unawatuna had to abandon the chapel in which it gathered for worship for well over a century for two main reasons. The first reason being that after the takeover of schools it became a problem to continue worship here as the chapel was located in the midst of school buildings of the Buona Vista Maha Vidyalaya. The second reason for abandoning the church was that it was in a state of disrepair. Bereft of a place of worship the Buona Vista congregation moved further up the hill to the chapel which the Sisters of St. Margaret had used for their private devotion and since then it has become their parish church where they met for regular worship. (Source: The Chapel of the Transfiguration, Buona Vista, The Report of the Standing Committee, 1990-1991, page 16)

After certain alterations were carried out to open it up and make it more spacious, the Bishop of Colombo (Rt. Rev. J.J. Gnanapragasam), on his first visit to Bouna Vista after his consecration, rededicated it as a parish church on (9.8.1987)  and re-named it “Church of the Transfiguration.”

(Source: Ceylon Churchman, Vol. 86/4, page 60, July/August 1988, title of article: Re-naming of the Church at Buona Vista)

This church was again re-dedicated on 2 August 2014 by the Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj R Canagasabey. Since the church was in need of urgent renovation St. Matthias Church Borelasgamuwa offered to fund the urgently needed renovation. The said ‘renovation related’ to the internal section of the church, comprising of ‘roof works’ , a new ‘look sanctuary’, apart from other repair works. The church was renovated under the leadership and guidance of Ven. Dr. Reinzie Perera, Archdeacon of Galle.