Pope Francis on Jan. 30, 2023, named Father Echchampulle Arachchige Jude Nishanta Silva as the new bishop of Badulla diocese.
Bishop Nishanta Silva was born on May 5,1970, in Moratuwa in the archdiocese of the capital Colombo. He was ordained a priest on Oct. 2, 2001.
He served as parish vicar of Christ the King in Diyatalawa before becoming the treasurer in 2003 and then rector of St. Eymard Minor Seminary in Haputale in 2004.
In 2007, he was sent to Rome for further studies, where he obtained a degree in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in 2010.
In 2011, he became parish priest of Holy Family parish. He worked as pastor of St Mary Cathedral in Badulla (2014-2019). In 2020, he became diocesan charity director.
