The news that Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe will be buried in Maula Cathedral has attracted mixed reactions with many questioning the rationale behind the move.
It all started when a video footage which went viral on social media showing people digging inside a Catholic Cathedral of Lilongwe (Maula), specifically at St. Joseph adoration chapel
According to Catholic doctrines, a Bishop who dies while still in office can be buried inside the church or at a special resting place specifically prepared for Bishops.
Father Petros Mwale of Mzuzu Diocese also backed the move in a write up made available to faceofmalawi
Uncategorized
A mass service for the funeral of is underway at Maula Cathedral in Lilongwe where hundreds of catholic faithfuls have filled up the church with some taking up seats in the outer space.
Archbishop Ziyaye died on Monday in Namibia where he was receiving medical treatment.
Tomorrow at 10am, Archibishop Ziyaye’s body will be taken to Civo Stadium for public viewing.
The body of Ziyaye arrived in the country on Thursday through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in the capital Lilongwe.
Among notable faces that welcomed the body of Ziyaye were Speaker of the National Assembly, Catharine Gotani Hara, presidential advisor on religous affairs, Rev Brian Kamwendo, Lilongwe City West Constituency MP, George Zulu.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the body of late Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye will arrive in the country at 8pm and not 2pm as earlier announced following a delay of the flight.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) General Secretary, Father. Dr. Henry Saindi has confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.
According to Saindi,he plane will now leave Namibia at 16:30 and arrive in Lilongwe at around 7:30pm.
Meanwhile scores of scores of people have gathered at Kamuzu International Airport cargo terminal to welcome the remains who died in a hospital in Namibia Monday morning.
According to the funeral programme, the remains will be taken to the Poor Claras Monastery for body viewing before being taken to Maula Cathedral for a holy mass.
December 17, 2020 Quentin Mzumara – Nyasa Times 17 Comments
The body of the late Archbishop of Lilongwe Tarcisius Ziyaye will arrive in the country this Thursday through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) at around14:30 hours after he died at a hospital in Namibia on Monday. He was 71.
Ziyaye to be laid to rest on Saturday
After arrival, there will be several masses in Maula Cathedral until burial on Saturday
But Catholic Church communication coordinator Fr. Louis Chikanya said in a media statement that the main solemn Requiem Mass will be on Friday at Civo Stadium since it will be State funeral.
Maula Parish council had an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening chaired by Monsignor Patrick Thawale, who was vicar general of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe during Ziyaye’s tenure, where it was confirmed that Ziyaye’s remains are expected to arrive through KIA at 14:30 hours.