KAMPALA, UGANDA: The late Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga will be laid to rest on Monday next week, the Orthodox Church has announced.
Sylvestos Kisitu, the Orthodox Bishop for Gulu and Eastern Uganda announced at a press conference he jointly addressed with the Information and National Guidance Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi on Wednesday evening.
According to Bishop Kisitu, Metropolitan Lwanga’s body will arrive in the country from Greece on Saturday morning. He said they will conduct the last funeral rites for the deceased at the Orthodox cathedral in Namugoona starting at 10 am on Saturday followed by speeches from different dignitaries. The same will continue the entire Sunday.
The burial will take place on Monday at 4pm at Namugoona Cathedral grounds. The Information and National Guidance Minister Chris Baryomunsi said that the Ugandan government has been in touch with the Greek government and the hospital to ensure the smooth return of Metropolitan Lwanga’s body.
“I affirm to you that the remains of the archbishop will be at Entebbe at exactly 3:20 am on Saturday. As I speak now, the plane with the body is already at the airport in Greece and the plane shall leave Thursday at exactly 1:25 pm through Cairo then Entebbe,” he said.
He disclosed that due to the COVID-19 containment measures and standard operating procedures, the body will not lie in state, adding that only a minimal number of mourners shall be allowed to pay their last respects to the deceased.
According to Baryomunsi, the government shall meet all the funeral and burial expenses as the country bids farewell to the Archbishop. He warned Ugandans against fabricating stories about the death of the Archbishop.
“He died a natural death in Athens like all of us shall die. We are now United to ensure his decent send-off. …Let us use social media for developmental and informative communication but not to create stories. As the minister for communication announced, we are coming up with a law which is going to regulate the use of social media,” he said.
Adding that, ” There is no cause for alarm, let us unite as Ugandan because the Aarchbishop has been for whole nation not only the Orthodox church.”
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