Sri Lanka in the Missionary Conjuncture of the 1540s

Abstract

This paper traces the evolution of the Catholic mission in Sri Lanka from the early 1500s to the 1550s. The key turning point was the arrival in 1543 of the first proper mission, in the form of six Franciscans from the province of Piedade (who were thereby known aspiedosos), whose presence led to diplomatic turmoil. The main purpose of this paper is to place these developments in the context of the broader development of Catholic religiosity and evangelism in the Estado da Índia, and to reflect on the different contributions made by piedosos, Observant Franciscans and Jesuits to this resurgent missionary appetite. It ends with some reflections on the role of history of inter-religious debates in mid-century Lanka.