Paper Short Abstract:

This paper examines Sri Lanka’s socio-political decline, culminating in the 2022 Aragalaya. Drawing parallels to Jesus' crucifixion, it explores actor-activist Jehan Appuhami’s act of carrying a cross to Galle Face as a symbol of resistance and hope, reflecting the nation’s collective struggle again

Paper Abstract:

In approximately 33 CE, during the reign of Pontius Pilate, Jesus of Nazareth was arrested by Roman authorities and compelled to carry the cross to Calvary, where He was crucified. The symbolic power of the cross re-emerged in Sri Lanka during the citizens' unarmed uprising—known as the Aragalaya or "struggle"—against an oppressive regime in April 2022. Among the many acts of resistance, Jehan Appuhami, an actor and social activist, carried a cross for several kilometres, traversing paths that included Christian churches devastated by the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. His journey culminated at Galle Face, the epicentre of the people's struggle, where the cross became a profound emblem of resilience and hope.

The geopolitical and social processes surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus profoundly shaped the trajectory of human history and cultural identity for centuries. Similarly, Appuhami's act of carrying the cross tree emerges as a poignant and symbolic reflection of the contemporary political climate within Sri Lankan civil society. This paper critically examines the gradual erosion of Sri Lanka's social and political fabric in recent decades, culminating in the historic Galle Face struggle ("Aragalaya"). By tracing the multifaceted pathways—social, economic, and political—that led to this watershed moment, the study explores the intersections between symbolic acts of resistance and the collective aspirations of a society in turmoil.