State funeral for the chief prelate of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Nikaya, Aggamaha Panditha the Most Venerable Davuldena Gnanissara Thera will be held next Thursday at the Independence Square.

This decision was taken during a funeral committee meeting held with the patronage of the minister of Home Affairs Vajira Abeywardana.

The Most Venerable Davuldena Gnanissara Maha Nayake Thera passed away early this morning while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

The Nayake Thera was born on December 31, 1915 and was ordained on March 8, 1928.

He was appointed as the Chief Prelate of the Amarapura Nikaya in 2002.

The Nayake Thera was 101 years old at the time of his passing away.