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RE-BURIAL OF HIS EMINENCE LAUREAN CARDINAL RUGAMBWA

Mazishi

Transfer and Reburial of His Eminence Cardinal Rugambwa

6th October, 2012

Laurean cardinal Rugambwa was the first African Cardinal in history, the first African bishop in Tanzania and the great inspirer for both religious and material development and cooperation in Tanzania and Africa. He was the pride of the black man. When he died in 1997, he was buried in Kashozi Parish Church , the first Church in Bukoba Diocese. After the renovation of the Cathedral, his body body was transfered and reburied in the Cathedral Church on 6th October, 2012. Below is the ceremony in pictures of the transfer and reburial.

mazishi Until 6th October people were working hard to prepare the cathedral area
Hundreds of people volunteered including men, women and especially school children.
mazishi The students of Rugambwa Secondary School in honor of their founder worked very hard to prepare the reburial
mazishi Hekima Secondary School Girls at Kashozi
Before the day of the ceremony the church and surroundings of Kashozi, the mother of all churches in Kagera and Rwanda, were repaired thanks to the faithful of Kashozi and Mwanza.
mazishi The old coffin was redeposited in the tomb in Kashozi church as a memoir of the 15 years the body stayed with them.The body of His Eminence Laurean cardinal Rugambwa was exhumed. It was found in good condition and put put in a new coffin.
mazishi On the 5th October the coffin was exposed in the church of Kashozi and the faithful stayed with the body in vigil overnight, praying, singing and reviewing his life through narrations and video presentations.
6th October 2012 was the great day. People came from all over Tanzania, East Africa and the world to witness this event. There were 6 bishops from Uganda led by His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, the Archbishop emeritus of Kampala.
mazishi On the left is Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Archibishop Franceso Padilla, Nuntio to Tanzania, Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa Bishop of Iringa and President of TEC, Bishop Egidio Nkaijanagwo Emeritus of Kasese Uganda, Bishop Callist Rubaramira of Kabale Uganda and Bishop Paul Lokiru Kalanda, Emeritus of Port Fortal, Uganda.
mazishi Bishop Joachim Ntaondeleye of Muyinga Burundi, behind him Archbishop Nobert Mtega of Songea.Bishop Joachim Ntaondeleye of Muyinga in Burundi came with a group of traditional drummers and dancers, who sounded the Mubara drums normally sounded in honor of a king.
mazishi The Mubara Burundi Drummers honouring the occasion
mazishi The whole body of the Tanzania bishops was led by the president of the conference, Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa of Iringa.
The occasion brought together religious leaders of different faiths who including the Sheiks and protestant bishops, political leaders of all parties and ideologies and people from around the world. mazishi Lutheran Bishop Elisa Buberwa of ELCT NW Diocese and Bishop Emeritus Mushemba
mazishi While awaiting for the Prime Minister of Tanzania to lay a wreath on the grave the next day, the government was represented by Hon. Prof. Anna Tibaijuka, Member of Parliament, minister of land and settlements and former Un Executive Secretary of Habitat flanked by DCs.
mazishi The Visual press was led by TBC1 and other TV stations
mazishi The Audio press and print media led by Radio Maria, Kasibante, FADECO, Kiongozi, Rumuli etc. That morning Kashozi was the center of the attention with local and foreign journalists some broadcasting live.
At 11 AM the ceremony started with a big procession with about 350 priests, 28 bishops and many religious and thousands of faithful present. Most of the people were clad in vitenges and T-shirts depicting the photo of Cardinal Rugambwa. mazishi The Procession was led by the Rubya Seminary Band
mazishi Priests in the Procession
mazishi Bishops in the Procession
mazishi Religious Sisters
mazishi The Lay Faithful
mazishi The Family of Cardinal Rugambwa (Nieces and Nephews).
mazishi The Holy Mass was presided over by the Archbishop Juda Thaddei Ruwai'chi, the Metropolitan of Mwanza.
After Mass, started an emotional 16 kilometers funeral procession from Kashozi to Bukoba. . mazishi Lifting the coffin to take it outside the church
mazishi The coffin being carried to the hearse
mazishi The coffin was put in a special hearse
mazishi The procession involved more than 500 vehicles without counting the many motorcycles.
The procession involved more than 500 vehicles without counting the many motorcycles. mazishi People along the road
mazishi When the funeral procession reached the suburbs of the town of Bukoba, the youth wanted to run alongside the coffin but there were too many people to do that. The crowds grew as the procession neared the centre of the town.
mazishi At the roundabout of Jamhuri Road the procession was met by a well trained brass band the children of the Kolping Primary School (AKEMPS). They accompanied them till the doors of the church.
The police had a hard time to spot people who wanted to touch the car that carried the coffin. mazishi The Long Procession
mazishi The procession on the road led by motorists
mazishi The hearse carrying the coffin
mazishi Procession to the Church
mazishi The church was too small so the people sat on the traditional grass around the cathedral under the big tents.
mazishi In the church the coffin with the remains, wrapped with the Vatican flag was laid in front of the altar for the funeral rites led by Archbishop Ruwa'ichi.
mazishi Procession inside the church to the section behind the wall of the altar before the sacristy.
mazishi The empty tomb before the burial
The he was laid to rest and a number of wreaths were put on the tomb. mazishi Bishop Nestor Timanywa
mazishi The burial event was concluded the next day with the consecration of the cathedral and the celebration of 100 years of the birth of cardinal rugambwa. Then the Prime Minister of Tanzania, Hon. Peter Mizengo Pinda, in the name of the President of the country, Hon. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, laid a wreath on the grave.
From then on people are visiting the tomb to pay homage and say a prayer for the late cardinal.
mazishi The queue was very long to visit the grave
mazishi People paying their respect
mazishi The day of the transfer and reburial of the remains has become a historical moment in the region of Kagera and everybody is grateful for it.
mazishi O lord God may our beloved Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa rest in Peace and always become a point of inspiration to us all.



The Prince of the Church
 Born to Lead Ask. Msarikie: "Ukardinali wa kweli na kutoka Afrika ndio huu" A Goodbye Poem by Fr Stanslaus African Prince and Father of the Second Vatican Council
Man of the People and Pride of Africa
 Askofu Kilani: Buriani kwa Baba yangu Maaskofu Walivyomfahamu Wasemavyo Watawa juu ya Kardinali Rugambwa Viongozi wa madhehebu mengine wasemavyo Ujumbe wa Rais Mstaafu Benjamini William Mkapa Mapadre waliokuwa karibu naye Cardinal Rugambwa Promotor of Education
His Life and Work in Bukoba
 Maisha ya Mwadhama RUTABO na BUKOBA Askofu Nkalanga: Alikuwa na Moyo wa Dhahabu Askofu Timanywa: Mtu Mnyenyekevu Masista Batereza Bukoba - Alivyowakirimu
His Apostolate in Dar es Salaam
 Cardinali Pengo na Kardinali Rugambwa Msgr D. Mbiku: Alikuwa Mkweli, Muwazi na Mwenye Haki Maisha ya Mwadhama Dar es Salaam Mabinti wa Rugambwa Walei: Mama Olive Luena
Burial of Cardinal Rugambwa
 Re-Burial of His Eminence Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa
Contact Information
Bishop's House Ntungamo,
P.O.Box Private Bag,
Bukoba, Tanzania.
Tel. & Fax. 028 - 2220746
Office: Tel. 028 - 2220194
E-mail: b.officebk@yahoo.com
Website: www.bukobadiocese.co.tz
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