Jerome Fernando once captained a cricket team, today he captains a religious empire. Claiming to shepherd a flock of 200 pastors and four lakh followers, Fernando bewitches both lovers and haters alike.
In his services, he appears to heal the crippled, sick, and drug dependent. His “Prophetic MRI” claims to predict the future and uncover the past — from plane crashes to his congregation’s “family secrets”. He says he speaks to the dead and preaches the creed of “miracle money”.
His provocative theology strikes a chord. Followers are deeply reverent, calling him their “spiritual father” or simply, “dad.” Critics, meanwhile, have nicknamed him “Profit Fernando.”
After a schism within his church, and a controversial alignment with British-Zimbabwean megachurch pastor Uebert Angel, Jerome’s wealth and career skyrocketed. From humble beginnings, together with his family, he now owns twelve apartments in Mount Lavinia and Havelock town. He chairs multiple companies, among them Southern Fried Chicken and Luxe Colombo, while followers donate millions to his church, and to him personally.
This rapid rise to riches drew the police’s attention. The CID started investigating Jerome after Uebert Angel offered to launder money to undercover Al Jazeera reporters. They found 12.25 billion rupees circulating through his bank accounts. Two years later, investigations still haven’t wrapped up. Meanwhile, Fernando plans for a mass expansion.
But before he became Prophet, His Excellency, Ambassador, the Right Reverend, Bishop Dr. Jerome Fernando, he was just a boy; growing up — like every other island boy — on cricket and his mother’s love.
The aspiring cricketer
Fernando grew up in Mount Lavinia with his brother, Jonathan, and his parents Wendy and Jayalath, a salon owner and a hotel bell captain. In his hometown, his mother was especially well-liked. A Muslim neighbour recalls her offering free haircuts to his disabled daughter. A local shopkeeper remembers her always stopping to chat — and Fernando still buys from him when he visits. Tucked down a narrow lane, Fernando’s modest Catholic home would later host the King’s Revival Church (KRC) and finally The Glorious Church.
At St. Peter’s, Fernando captained the cricket team, taking it far more seriously than his studies. A skilled, unflashy batsman, he was undeterred by failures and “always wanted to be the last man on the pitch.” Fernando cultivated discipline and charisma at a young age which would later serve his career well.
“He always spoke very elegantly,” said Jehan Mubarak, Fernando’s teammate who shared a room with him on the national under 19 team tours. He was meticulously clean and organised, Mubarak recalls, dressing with a “perfectly pressed white kit for every single cricket practice.”
Fernando was a team player in every essence of the word – treating all equally and pitching in when some players couldn’t afford team outings. He was exceptionally good at motivating members one-on-one, and this spirited play gained him respect from his fellow players.
But while his cricketing career thrived, at home, Fernando’s family was struggling. His mother’s generosity was marred by his father’s gambling habit, and bills were only paid with difficulty. He credits the pain of this unstable childhood as driving him towards God.
Fernando flipped the script, neither smoking, drinking heavily nor gambling. His only “vice” was that he was “handsome and he knew it.” “He kept his options open and unlike the rest of us, didn’t need a wingman,” said a fellow cricketer.
But at 20, Fernando met Melanie Vancuylenburg and married her four years later in 2004. It would be many years before her husband became a man of the cloth, and brought her along with him.
The exponential pastor
Fernando’s spiritual journey began at a young age. But it wasn’t until after stints at cricket coaching and the corporate sector that he turned to the church full time.
A pastor who knew Fernando from his Sunday School days describes the child Fernando as having had a “hunger” for God and a “deep desire for some special spiritual experience.” Fernando says he finally got this yearned-for encounter with God at 16.
Although born Catholic, his family turned to charismatic Christianity after his uncle, Neville Fernando, returned from the UAE with a connection to the King’s Revival Church in Dubai. Fernando’s family became intensely religious, strengthened by his mother’s miraculous healing from an incurable disease and his father’s recovery from gambling. They started the Sri Lankan chapter of KRC at their own home.
Fernando wasn’t shy about his religious beliefs and regularly invited his classmates to his church — often to no avail.
After school he entered the apparel industry, working as a senior executive and marketing manager. Former colleagues say he had a “silver tongue,” and was particularly good at marketing. “How he was at our business is exactly how he is today,” said an ex-colleague laughing. “Nothing has changed.”
Fernando’s marketing skills and smooth talking accompanied him through his cricketing, corporate, and religious careers. As a young adult he volunteered on KRC’s media team. At 29,he responded to a call from God and became a pastor. He quit his job in garments and joined KRC as a full-time pastor for the English service.
Fernando was instantly popular. Charismatic and bold, word spread about his healings and prophetic abilities. To accommodate the growing congregation, KRC regularly switched locations to larger venues: Gateway College auditorium, Havelock City, BMICH.
Crowds thronged to Fernando, many arriving during times of personal difficulty. One pastor who had preached alongside him said the church demanded loyalty. “Once you join, there’s a kind of love-bombing,” he explained. “They help you start your businesses, and everything begins to work for you.
But if followers wish to leave, they risk losing it all. Former members described Fernando’s church as a “networking event” for the wealthy, recounting how churchgoers came together to support failing businesses or offer services like luxury bridals.
From Pastor to Prophet
Six years ago, Fernando made a defining choice that dramatically changed the course of his ministry. He aligned with Zimbabwean mega church pastor Angel, severing ties with his mentor from KRC Dubai, Pastor Dilkumar. Fernando ditched the KRC name, rebranding as ‘The Glorious Church’. Old followers left and loyal pastors resigned, advising Fernando against following Angel’s path.
For reasons only known to him, Fernando didn’t listen. He started branding himself as “Prophet” rather than “Pastor.” His emphasis turned to broadcasting, the ‘Glorious TV’ channel and a host of other platforms were run by a well-resourced media team. His outfits became more extravagant and...
