‘Father of the Temple’ celebrated

The 26th death anniversary of Rev Fr. Marcelin Jayakody, who made a great contribution to Buddhist–Catholic relationship and understanding with his numerous art works, wining the hearts of Sri Lankans and was popularly known as “Pansale Piyathuma” or the Father in the temple is scheduled to be celebrated tomorrow (15) at Dankotuwa.

In marking this occasion, the Marcelin Jayakody Piya Foundation has organized a series of activities in Dankotuwa, the native place of late Father.

The commemorative activities include the opening of entrance boards of the Dankotuwa hospital and donating food items to hospital inmates and staff members, Ananda Karunarathna, Chairman of Foundation said.

Fr. Marceline Jayakody, the respected Catholic Priest, poet, lyricist and journalist, holds the distinguished record of being the first Catholic Priest to write songs for Sinhala films and penned nearly 800 songs which became instant hits among the masses. Always decorating his words in line with indigenous culture and traditional values, Fr. Jayakody who was fluent in about ten languages authored several books in Sinhala and English and was awarded the Kalashoori award in 1982. The country lost the ardent lover of nature and his motherland on January 15, 1998, when he was 96.