Huambo – Dom Vicente Sanombo was ordained, this Sunday, as the fifth bishop of Cuito, province of Bié, during an episcopal consecration mass, held in Praça São João II, surroundings of the city of Huambo.
The ceremony, which marks the beginning of the episcopal activity of the new pastor of Cuito, was presided over by the Archbishop of Huambo, Dom Zeferino Zeca Martins, in the presence of the President of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST), Dom José Manuel Imbamba, and the secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Angola, Father Christopher Celler.
In addition to other archbishops and bishops from CEAST, the celebration was witnessed by the governors of the provinces of Huambo and Bié, respectively, Lotti Nolika and Pereira Alfredo, deputies to the National Assembly, representatives of political parties with Parliamentary seats and other guests.
During the consecration, Dom Vicente Sanombo, from the archdiocesan clergy of Huambo, in addition to taking the oath, received the rites of anointing of the head, laying on of hands, prayer of ordination, opening of the evangelical, placement of the miter, the ring, the crosier pastoral and the cross, according to the episcopal tradition of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church.
The former priest of the Parish of Nossa Imaculada da Conceição (Sé Cathedral), in the city of Huambo, thus becomes the fifth bishop of Cuito, after Dom Armando Amaral dos Santos (1941-1958), Dom Manuel Pedro Pires ( 1958-1979), Dom Luís António (1979-1997) and Dom José Nambi (1997-2022).
Dom Vicente Sanombo, 59 years old, was appointed by Pope Francis, on March 28th, replacing Dom José Nambi, who died in October 2022, due to illness.
During the homily, the archbishop of Huambo, Dom Zeferino Zeca Martins, asked the new bishop Cuito to serve the people with the fullness of the gospel of Christ, for the expansion and coverage of the word of God in the communities.
He recalled that the people of Cuito had been crying out and praying, for some time, for the presence of a pastor, hence the need for the faithful to pray for the health of Dom Vicente Sanombo, so that God would enlighten him in this episcopal mission, in order to unite and comfort the downcast souls.
He urged him to work with the people in the love of Christ and not forget the poor, sick, pilgrims, emigrants and others who are lost in the Christian faith, as it is important that he be available to help in all circumstances, according to the commandments and Divine principles.
In a brief intervention, the president of CEAST, Dom José Manuel Imbamba, said that it is with joy that they welcome the new bishop of Cuito, as a space for sharing communion, participation, mission, solidarity, dialogue and unity in the diversity of gifts.
He pointed out that episcopal ordination constitutes a new page opened for the diocese of Cuito, which must welcome its new pastor with charity, fervor and church spirit, to continue raising up worthy souls for God and selfless citizens for the development of the country.
Government Message
Invited to speak at the episcopal mass, the governor of the province of Huambo, Lotti Nolika, said that the appointment of Dom Vicente Sanombo by Pope Francis adds joy to the population of this region of the country's Central Highlands.
She added that it happened one year after the episcopal ordination of Dom Firmino David, also archdiocesan clergy of Huambo, as bishop of Sumbe, Cuanza-Sul province.
The governor asked the new bishop of Bié to exercise a priesthood aimed at supporting those most in need, assuming himself as a partner of the Angolan State in the mission of educating, caring for and guiding young people in their love of God, family and country.
She hopes that the faithful will support her and pray in favor of Dom Vicente Sanombo, so that he can fulfill this priestly mission successfully, for the spiritual comfort of the citizens and the well-being of the Angolan nation.
After the consecration, the bishop of Cuito, Dom Vicente Sanombo, thanked Pope Francis for the appointment, CEAST, the archdiocese of Huambo, the local government and the entire Christian community for the love and support provided.
Brief journey of the religious
Born in the municipality of Bailundo, province of Huambo, Dom Vicente Sanombo was born on October 23, 1964, and was ordained a priest on November 6, 1992, after completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Cristo Rei Major Seminary, in this Central Plateau region.
He holds a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy.
Before being appointed bishop of Cuito, on March 28th, by Pope Francis, the priest served as parish priest of the Cathedral, since 2009, and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Huambo, from 2010, and since 2019 he has been an advisor to the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST).
He also served as rector of the Minor Archdiocesan and Philosophy seminaries, in addition to being responsible for the Pastoral Bom Pastor center.
He is a professor at the higher institutes of Educational Sciences (ISCED-Huambo) and Catholic, as well as at the Major Seminary of Christ the King, section of Theology.
The diocese of Cuito (Bié) belongs to the ecclesiastical province of Huambo. ZZN/JSV/ALH/DOJ
