Katchatheevu, being a small distant island of 1.15 square kilometers located 20 km away from the Delft Island, with no human habitation. However, the fishing community has used this island over the years in order to mend their fishing gear after strenuous venture out at sea. Incidentally, the small St. Anthony's Church in Katchatheevu had become their place of reverence during such visits.
The annual Katchatheevu feast which is traditionally held in February or March is attended by a large number of Indian as well as Sri Lankan devotees with a great sense of spiritual attachment to St. Anthony's Church. However, with the staggering number of devotees visiting the island for the annual church mass, the necessity was felt to build a new church on the island.
At the request made by the Bishop of the Jaffna Rt. Rev Justin Bernard Gnanapragasam and following directives of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the Sri Lanka Navy undertook the construction of new St. Anthony’s Church by laying the foundation stone of the new church on 9th May 2016. Turning over a new leaf in history, within a time span of 7 months, the Navy erected the new church and bestowed it on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna on 23rd December 2016.
This year’s annual feast of the newly built St. Anthony’s church in Kachchativu is set to get underway on a grand scale on 12th March 2017.
