On 3 December 1838 the Vicariate of Ceylon was erected; later, on 17 February 1845, it was decided to divide it into the two vicariates of Colombo and Jaffna, a decision confirmed in 1848. On 20 April 1883, the Apostolic Vicariate of Kandy was erected by separation from the Apostolic Vicariate of Colombo. In 1886 the diocese of Colombo was elevated to an archdiocese, and Kandy and Jaffna were constituted as suffragan dioceses. In 1893, from the territory of Jaffna, and simultaneously with that of Galle (formed by separation from Colombo), the diocese of T. was erected, entrusted to the Society of Jesus and declared a suffragan of the archdiocese of Colombo. It borders the Indian Ocean and the dioceses of Jaffna, Kandy, and Galle.
The most recent statistics (1952) provide the following data: area 5,048 sq. km.; population 297,500, of whom 19,572 are Catholic, 2,500 Protestant, 121,000 Muslim, 128,400 Hindu, and 26,000 Buddhist. The diocese is divided into 3 districts or deaneries with 13 parishes, 53 churches, and 41 chapels. There are 15 diocesan priests, 23 religious; 4 male religious communities and 5 female; 49 educational institutes, 7 charitable institutions; 2 seminaries. The diocese also owns a printing press, where, among other things, the periodical *Singing Fish* is printed with a circulation of 550 copies. The St. Vincent de Paul Societies, Catholic Action associations, the Legion of Mary, and others are flourishing. The episcopal residence is in the city of Batticaloa.