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Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Home Pobl Dewi A success story, despite ongoing problems

A success story, despite ongoing problems

In his latest article, Roger Dirokpa, Link Chairman for our Companion Diocese of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, talks about the Archdeaconry of Bukavu

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The Anglican Diocese of Bukavu currently has nine archdeaconries - Bukavu, Lake Kivu, Bunyakiri, Walungu, Tanganyika, Uvira, Idjwi, Fizi and Itombwe.

The Archdeaconry of Bukavu is the oldest and preparations for its formation began when our diocese was created in 1976. This archdeaconry was officially established in 1979 and was headed by Revd Mbona Kolini as the first Archdeacon. After being called to be Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Bukavu, Revd Mbona Kolini was succeeded by Revd Ndimubanzi in 1981.

The Archdeaconry of Bukavu was very large and that is why, in 1986, the administration of the archdeaconry was entrusted to each deanery and they reported to the Bishop of the Diocese. After that, Revd Bahati Bali Busane, our current Bishop, was appointed Archdeacon of Bukavu until 2000. From April 2000 to the present time, the Archdeaconry has been headed by Venerable Ndimanya Bahati Jean Pierre, who was installed Canon in 2014.

Following the success of this archdeaconry under the leadership of Ven Ndimanya Bahati, and the growth in the number of worshippers, it was split into four archdeaconries (Bukavu, Lake Kivu, Bunyakiri and Walungu).

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The Archdeaconry of Bukavu currently has 14 parishes and 24 priests. It has contributed to the studies of priests, evangelists, and catechists in various fields such as development, health, education, theology, and social work. The archdeaconry has also built churches on some plots of land it owns.

However, the troubles experienced by this archdeaconry are many and serious. Several problems are linked to its vast geographical area; travelling is difficult due to instability in the east of the country; there is often a lack transportation; the exodus of Christians fleeing instability and abandoning their villages, and the poverty of the population. All these problems have been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. All the parishes in the Archdeaconry of Bukavu are affected by these difficulties and the priests live in difficult conditions with their dependents, which slows down the work of the Lord.

The Archdeaconry of Bukavu continues with its mission work, and to expand, and needs your support and prayers.