The fallen Emeritus Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro of Juba Archdiocese was on Monday evening laid to rest inside Saint Theresa Cathedral Church, Kator- Juba.

Groups of priests and Archbishops, including Archbishop of Khartoum Dioceses, Daniel Marco Kur Adwok, Archbishop of Yei Diocese, Erkolano Lodu Tombe, Archbishop of Juba Diocese, and Dr Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla graced the funeral proceeding.  

Thousands of mourners attended the burial including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and his wife Angelina Teny, who is also the Minister of Defense, Vice President for Economic Cluster Dr. James Wani Igga, Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony.

During the burial proceeding, only a handful of people were allowed entrance to the room where the late Archbishop was laid to rest the capacity of building could not accommodate a lot of people.

All bishops, priests, family members, government officials, and two journalists were granted entrance permission.

Hundreds of combined choirs from different catholic churches led from the front before a number of them got overwhelmed with emotion and broke down as Lokudu was put to rest.

The late emeritus Archbishop Lukudu died on the 5th of April in the Kenyan capital Nairobi where he was flown for treatment.

Key speakers

Addressing thousands of mourners and clerics who turned up on Monday to pay their final tribute to the late emeritus Archbishop, Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr. James Wani Igga conveyed words of comfort on behalf of the president and on his own behalf and urged the people of South Sudan in general to unite with each other regardless of their tribe, region and political divides.

Igga assured the Catholic fraternity of the Government’s commitment to stand with the Catholic Church in cooperation and coordination in order to achieve its mission and vision that the late emeritus Lukudu has left.

“Lokudu was a great leader who became a model to many South Sudanese since 1962. During the seminaries days I became a close friend to Lokudu because I was also in the seminary. If Khartoum has nto dispersed us probably I would have become the holly priest,” said Igga.

“Lokudu was concentrated as a metropolitan Archbishop of South Sudan during a very difficult period. A period where persecution was conducted by the Khartoum soldiers to all South Sudanese without discrimination. Lokudu stood very firm and protected the people,” Igga added.

Iggad said Lukudu also visited the so-called White House in Khartoum (the house were South Sudanese prisoners were tortured and kept for persecution) to lobby for their freedom.

Governor of Central Equatoria state, Emmanuel Adil Anthony conveyed his sympathies on behalf of the people of Central Equatoria Government and on his own behalf.

“My brothers and sisters, I would like to convey my sincere condolences for the death of his Grace, emeritus Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro, who was a gift from my great state of Central Equatoria to the Christian community, and the world at large, with the spirit of humbleness, care, love and sacrifice” Said Adil.

Governor Emmanuel Adil also described the late emeritus Archbishop as a pillar of hope for the people of South Sudan during the liberation struggle and a committed leader in faith who stood for his people unshakably.

Adil appealed to the faithful in Saint Theresa Cathedral to re-think and confess their sins that they have perpetrated against each other and open new chapter for human dignity, hospitality, tolerance, forgiveness and dialogue as the only values to rebuild the state, especially on the broken social fabrics.

Paulino Lukudu Loro was born on 23 August 1940 in Kwerijik. He joined the Congregation of the Comboni Missionaries and was ordained to the priesthood in Verona by its bishop Giuseppe Carraro on 12 April 1970.

He was later appointed the Bishop of El Obeid on 5 March 1979, after five years of service as the Apostolic Administrator of that same diocese.

He received his episcopal consecration two months later from Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter’s Basilica. He served as the president of the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference from 1989 to 1993 before serving in that capacity once more from 1999 to 2006.

Lukudu was appointed archbishop of Juba on 19 February 1983 and served in this office until 12 December 2019. In 2015, for his 75th birthday, according to the customs of the Church, he sent his letter of resignation to the Pope, but Lukudu was asked to continue in the office until new bishops for three of his dioceses are found.

He died on Easter Monday in 2021 at a hospital in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi at the age of 80. A statement by his successor did not reveal details about the cause of his death.

By Kidega Livingstone