[3] A tiny piece of St. Anthony's tongue is preserved in a special reliquary, which is located in a glass case together with a statue of the saint, at the entrance to the church.

The church's origins relate to the early Dutch colonial period when Catholicism was banned from the island, with Catholic priests carrying out sermons from hiding places.

The Dutch authorities then allocated him some land to carry out his sermons, whereupon he built a mud brick chapel dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua (Sant'Antonio da Padova).

[4] In 1938 the church was improved and enlarged, with the addition of a chorister's gallery, large wings on side, and a mission house and meeting room behind the main altar.

[7] On 12 June 2019, the sacred historical church was renovated solely by the Sri Lanka Navy and was opened for the public for the first time since the attacks.