Warnakulasurya Wadumestrige Devasritha Valence Mendis

Valence Mendis, formally Warnakulasurya Wadumestrige Dewasrita Valence Mendis, (born 21 May 1958) is a Sri Lankan prelate of the Catholic Church who has been the Bishop of Chilaw since 2006. He has been named bishop of Kandy, where he had spent his first years as a parish priest before joining the staff of the national seminary in Ampitiya and serving as its rector from 2001 to 2005.

Biography Mendis was born on 21 May 1958 in Koralawella parish in Moratuwa, At birth he was given the name "Dewasrita", which means "pleading to God". and then lectured there. In October 1989 he joined the staff of the national seminary in Ampitiya. From 1992 to 1994 he studied at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, earning his doctorate. In October 2000 he became head of the philosophy section of the Kandy seminary and rector of the seminary on 4 February 2001. Beginning in 1995, he served as secretary of the Catholic National Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue and represented Sri Lanka at international conferences. He received his episcopal consecration on 2 April 2005, shortly before his 47th birthday.

Mendis succeeded Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando as the bishop of Chilaw on 19 October 2006 and was installed there on 28 October.

He has served the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka as head of its Commission for Education, Catechetic and Bible Apostolate and its Commission for Migrants, Health, Tourism and Prisons