Mozambique mourns nation’s first black priest

Three days of mourning have been declared by the Mozambican government in honour of the country’s first black priest, who died on Wednesday at the age of 103.

Cardinal Alexandre Jose Maria dos Santos was ordained in 1953. The Portuguese boasted of bringing Christianity to Mozambique in the 15th Century – but it was 500 years before a black man could enter the priesthood.

Cardinal Dos Santos’ career saw him become Mozambique’s first black bishop, then the Archbishop of Maputo – and finally in 1998 he was appointed to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Dos Santos was instrumental in setting up the Sao Tomas University, and also played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the signing of the General Peace Agreement in 1992 in Rome, ending the civil war that pitted the Renamo rebels against the Frelimo government.

He is to lie in state at Maputo Cathedral before he is buried next Thursday.

By BBC