The Archdiocese of Colombo has formally denied media reports claiming that Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has decided to step down as Archbishop of Colombo by late 2026.
Director of Mass Communications for the Archdiocese, Reverend Father Jude Chrysantha, said the reports — which cited unnamed sources and suggested a major leadership transition within the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka by year-end — are false.
Father Chrysantha clarified that decisions regarding the appointment or retirement of an Archbishop are made solely by the Vatican. Under Canon Law, retirement is generally considered upon reaching the age of 80, but the final decision rests exclusively with the Pope.
Cardinal Ranjith will turn 80 next year. However, no official announcement regarding his retirement has been made to date, the Archdiocese said.
Cardinal Ranjith has been one of the most prominent public voices in the Easter Sunday attacks probe, repeatedly calling on successive governments to pursue the masterminds behind the 2019 bombings. At the seventh-anniversary mass last week, he warned that certain factions were attempting to obstruct the investigation.
His potential departure would mark a significant transition for Sri Lanka’s Catholic community, which represents roughly six percent of the population. The Archdiocese’s clarification appears aimed at halting speculation that has intensified amid the politically sensitive Easter accountability process.
