Lubango - The Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubango, southern Huila Province, Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi, on Monday called for a greater respect for human dignity during the electoral period.
Speaking during the outdoor mass, as part of the celebrations of the 120th edition of the Feast of Our Lady of the Hill (Nossa Senhora do Monte), which is marked today, he advocated the creation of conditions that promote values in all aspects and in a continuous way.
The Archbishop considered the electoral process important, so it should be conducted seriously, aiming at the growth of the people and the development of the country, regardless of who wins the ballot.
“Unlike other years when we held only one prayer, this year, rooted in faith and guided by the Church doctrine, we started today a novena of prayer for the days preceding the elections, that they may be free and fair”, he said.
Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi added that for today´s novena, nine themes have been listed, highlighting “respect for the dignity of the human person and citizenship”.
Historical sources point that the construction of the chapel was marked by two distinct phases throughout the time, the first of which began with the building of the primitive chapel, led by bricklayer Jacinto Rodrigues and carpenter João da Silva, in 1902.
The first mass was celebrated on 15 August 1902, still with the chapel under construction.
From the following year (1903), the population of Lubango went to the chapel to celebrate the pilgrimage that became traditional, but the works were only completed in 1921.
For the general elections of the 24th August, roughly 14.3 million voters are registered.
The contesting political forces are APN, PHA, MPLA, P-NJANGO, UNITA, FNLA, CASA-CE coalition and PRS.
