ABSTRACT
The majority of the South Asian Christians settled in Norway are Roman Catholics from Sri Lanka. Most of them are Sri Lankan Tamils from the Tamil-dominated areas of northern Sri Lanka. Only a few of the Sri Lankans are Indian Tamils from Sri Lanka or Sinhalese Catholics. In addition, there are also Tamils in Norway who are Baptists and Pentecostals, and there have been some conversions of Tamils settled in Norway from Roman Catholicism to Baptism and Pentecostalism. The rituals are the most important reason for attending the church. The Catholic Church in Norway has created space for the Tamils in the church for them to reproduce as much as possible of the ritual atmosphere of the Tamil Catholicism of Sri Lanka. Of great importance are the festivals organized for the celebration of St Anthony, an important saint in Sri Lanka, and for Our Lady of Madhu, the most important Catholic pilgrimage shrine in Sri Lanka.
