St. Anthony's College, Kandy
St. Anthony’s College, Kandy founded in 1854, is one of the most prestigious and leading Roman Catholic Schools in Sri Lanka. St Anthony's College has produced many distinguished alumni, including Presidents, Ministers and many parliamentarians in Sri Lanka.HistoryBeginningsThe Roman Catholic Church had established itself in the Maritime areas from 1505. In 1820 the superior of all the Oratorians in Ceylon, Vincent de Rozairo, himself came as the first missionary to Kandy. He put up a church, which occupied the very same grounds whereon the present Scots Kirk stands. In 1828 the Scots Kirk site was found to be too small and hilly and accordingly a petition was submitted to the Governor - General Sir Edward Barnes who promptly presented the Catholic Church with a new site. It was roughly a square 152 ft. by 150 ft. upon which the second Roman Catholic Church was built. This is the very same site on which St. Anthony's Cathedral stands today. It was realized that building churches alone could not contribute to the success of the missionary efforts that commenced in 1820. In September 1843, an Italian Oratorian, Fr. Orazio Bettacchini was sent to the Kandyan mission who, during his missionary year 1843/44, opened a school in Kandy on the same premises. But, in August 1844, his successor Fr. Reinaud, who continued as missionary until 1848, began his missionary career by pulling down the school, which Fr. Bettacchini had put up.Yet, it was not until November 1853, when Fr. Felice Zoppi, a Franciscan from the Chinese missionary field was sent to Kandy by Monsignor Joseph Maria Bravi D.d., O.S.B., that Fr. Bettacchini's complaint was looked into. Fr. Zoppi promptly set about his task by opening a school for boys and one for girls at the house where he resided, in January 1854, with a Mr. Van Twest as Head Teacher of the Boys School. This was the birth of St. Anthony's School. Soon after which, Fr Zoppi sent word to Mgr. Bravi through Fr. Leone Cingolani, informing him of his success in opening the schools. But the message was never delivered and Fr. Zoppi subsequently wrote to Mgr. Bravi who replied on 12 March 1854, officially acknowledging the opening of both schools, at the present premises of St. Anthony's Cathedral.
