People Friday 4th January, 2008 11

by W. T. A. Leslie posed the hymn ‘Sapiri Sama Shanthinikethan in India. had been continuing it for four of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody in international Prize, the Fernando Asiri Soma’ and the Christmas Today ‘Gnanartha Pradeepya’ years and even sent articles the ‘Messenger’. Fr. Marcelline Magsaysay Award. Carol ‘Raya Tharu is far from being a translation from abroad. He watched the Jayakody could not be thwarted That is not all. Fr. bout seven decades ago, Babalanawa’ set to his own of the Messenger. It has its own power struggle in the in that manner. Instead he Marcelline Jayakody has pre- a young Catholic priest music. These hymns became identity and the stand of Fr. Archdiocese from a distance wrote a series of poems to sented many other prose and Awas much criticized in very popular and are still sung Marcelline Jayakody is vindi- and wrote in his column that ‘Kaviya’ magazine extolling poems both in Sinhala and in Church circles for offering English. A well known journal some Lotus flowers at the sanc- carried his columns in both tuary at the wedding Mass of Catholic and secular press. He one of his relatives. Since then was an active member of the much water has flowed under ‘Hela Havula’ and for many the bridges. Fr. Marcelline decades until his death he was Now the national culture is the President of the Sinhala given its due place in the Poets’ Association. Catholic Church. And the Fr. Marcelline Jayakody young priest involved in the appreciated Buddhist culture controversy is now regarded as Jayakody–the and was close to the Buddhist an exponent of Indigenous cul- Bhikkus. He took pride is being ture. called ‘Pansale Piyathuma’ He is none other than Fr. (Catholic Priest of the Marcelline Jayakody OMI musi- Buddhist Temple). In 1995 Ven. cian, lyricist, poet, author, jour- proud boast Dr. Ittapane Dhammalankara nalist and patriot whose 10th Thera presented the book titled death anniversary falls on ‘Malpale Upan Pansale January 15, 2008. A household Piyathuma’ on the life and name in our country no other achievements of Fr. Marcelline Catholic prelate or priest in Sri Jayakody. This is the first book Lanka has touched the hearts of Catholics in the whole world written by a and lives of both Catholics and Buddhist monk on a Catholic non-Catholics alike in Sri priest. Lanka than Fr. Marcellne Nevertheless Fr. Marcelline Jayakody. In 1949 Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was invited to Jayakody never betrayed the No other Catholic priest in train the choir for the song ‘Namo Namo Matha’ Christian doctrine. He did not has been so harassed approve introducing extrane- and humiliated by the Church for the 1st Independence commemoration as its ous forms of worship and prac- authorities as Fr. Marcelline composer Ananda Samarakone had gone tices into the churches. In his Jayakody. A priest ahead of the column in the ‘Messenger’ he times, he was stronger in defeat abroad. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody rose to the once remarked that there are and all his defeats turned out to occasion, trained the students of the Museus some Catholics who try to be victories. He passed away on College and presented it to be acclaimed by all. become more Buddhist and January 15, 1998 after leading a Hindu than Buddhists and life full of achievements. There is no doubt that this wonderful perform- Hindus themselves. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody ance had paved the way to adopt ‘Namo Namo Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was born on June 03, 1902 at was honoured with the Dankotuwa in the outskirts of Matha’ as our national anthem. ‘Kalasuri’ title by the State and Maha Oya. He had his early ‘Kithu Nandana Pranamaya’by education at Madampe Sinhala the Catholic church in appreci- School and secondary educa- ation of his magnificent contri- tion at St. Joseph’s College, in churches. Since then Fr. cated. the best qualification for a Buddhist way of life and butions to arts and culture in . He entered St. Marcelline Jayakody never Fr. Marcelline Jayakody Bishop is found in Gospel val- Sinhala culture. Sri Lanka for over six decades. Bernard’s Seminary in 1920 and looked back and composed underwent some training at ues preached and practiced by ‘Muthu’ was a collection of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was ordained a priest on hymns to his own music. Shanthinikethan, the famous Christ. his poems carried in ‘Kaviya’. whose prose was poetry and December 20, 1927 by Dr. In 1940’s and 1950’s special- oriental arts centre set up by This created a ripple in the ‘Mutu’ won Fr. Marcelline words were songs was legend in Anthony Coudert the then ly around Independence there Rabindranath Tagore. When he bastions of power in the Jayakody the Presidential his own life time. He is the Archbishop of Colombo. was a national awakening in returned to Sri Lanka. He was Catholic church and they dis- award for the best poetic work proud boast of Catholics as a At this beginning of the Sri Lanka. This national con- sent to Tolagatty as a punish- continued the popular column in 1979 and in 1983 the famous national artist and patriot. 20th century slavishly imitat- sciousness had its effect on the ment for leaving the country ing the West was the order of Catholic Church as well. without the permission of the day. At the same time there Accordingly Fr. Marcelline Church authorities. Later he was a national resurgence initi- Jayakody too composed out- served in the staff of St. ated by the patriots like standing hymns like ‘Ronata Patrick’s College, Jaffna. , Vadina Bingu Obay, ‘Nelum Fr. Marcelline Jayakody , Pipeela Pethi Visireela’ and made use of his stay in Jaffna Piyadasa Sirisena and John de ‘Suvanda Jale Pipi Kumudiniye’ to make a study of the Hindu Silva. The higher strata in soci- with a national fervor. These religion and Tamil culture. He ety who believed in the Western magnificent hymns with their wrote a series of articles to the way of life was severely criti- superb lyrics, sweet music and ‘Times of Ceylon’ journal on cized by the well known novel- local setting captivated the Hindu culture, simple and ist Piyadasa Sirisena. hearts of all. serene life of people and the Fr. Marcelline Jayakody His hymns contain both beauty of Jaffna. He also pre- who also always had the love Christian aspects and national sented a Passion play with stu- for the country in his veins was sentiments. They are ever pop- dents of St. Patrick’s. drawn to the stirrings of ular in churches and appreciat- In 1953, Fr. Marcelline nationalism. He read the novels ed by non-Catholics as well. Jayakody was appointed to the of Piyadasa Sirisena with They are a striking example for staff of St.Peter’s College, interest and drew inspiration cultural adaptation in its true Colombo. At St.Peter’s with the from his writings. perspective. assistance of Heenbaba He served as an assistant In 1949 Fr. Marcelline Dharmasiri he set up and ori- parish priest in places like Jayakody was invited to train ental arts centre and intro- Kotahena, Pamunugama, the choir for the song ‘Namo duced indigenous fine arts to Kochchikade (Negombo) and Namo Matha for the 1st this leading Catholic school in Kandana and served as the Independence commemoration the metropolis. parish priest in Paiyagala, as its composer Ananda The film ‘Rekawa’ present- Duwa, Katana and Maggona. As Samarakone had gone abroad. ed by Lester James Peiris in a parish priest he gave the altar Fr. Marcelline Jayakody rose to 1956 was a landmark in Sinhala a national aura, bedecking it the occasion, trained the stu- cinema. This was the first with gokkola and relipalam. dents of the Musaeus College Sinhala film with a real indige- When he was the parish and presented it to be nous outlook and it won several priest of Duwa, the Duwa acclaimed by all. There is no international awards. Lester Passion Play was performed doubt that this wonderful per- James Peiris got Fr. Marcelline with images of sacred person- formance paved the way to Jayakody to write lyrics for ages based on the centuries old adopt ‘Namo Namo Matha’ as songs in Rekawa and Sunil ‘Nine Sermons’ in the our national anthem. Santha provided music for ‘Dukprapthi Prasangaya’ writ- In late 1949 Fr. Marcelline them. †jhsfka m%ùk;u foaYlhskaf.a ten by Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez. In Jayakody was appointed the When Fr. Mercelline 1939 he revised and recasted Editor of ‘Gnanrtha Jayakody entered the film the Duwa Passion Play based Pradeepaya’ the officials world many raised their eye- on Dorothy Saeyer’s famous Sinhala Catholic weekly in Sri brows as Sinhala films had not work ‘Born to be a King’, while Lanka.He set up the mast head reached that standard for a Wmldrl mx;s meje;afjk maintaning the traditional out- in ‘Gnanartha Pradeepaya’ in a Catholic priest to get involved. look. traditional cultural back- However at a poll conducted by Fr. Marcelline Jayakody ground. This caption is still the ‘Sunday Observer’ Fr. ia:dkhka" †khka iy úIhhka used human actors for all the continued. He also increased Marcelline Jayakody was scenes except for Christ and the pages from 08 to 12 and selected the leading personality Mary. He also composed all the introduced new features with in the Sinhala cinema in 1956 ms