Jonah Lwanga Explained

Jonah Lwanga also referred to as Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga (18 July 1945 – 5 September 2021) was an Ugandan prelate, who served as Archbishop of Kampala and Exarch of All Uganda in the Uganda Orthodox Church. Since 1997, he was also the Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Kampala and All Uganda, in Central Africa under the Eastern Orthodox Church of Alexandria, until his death in September 2021. His see was Kampala, with jurisdiction over all Uganda.^[1]

Background and education

Lwanga was born on 18 July 1945 in the village of Ddegeya in present-day Luweero District,Uganda to Kezia Babitaka.^[2] Lwanga's grandfather, Obadiah Basajjakitalo, was one of the two initial leaders of the Orthodox Church in Uganda along with Ruben Spartas Mukasa.

He completed his general education in Bulemezi and Kyaddondo, Uganda (1952-1964).

From 1964 to 1968 he studied at the Ecclesiastical School of Crete. From 1968 to 1978 he held a degree in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Athens.^[3]

Vocation

From 1979 to 1981 he served as Secretary of the Orthodox Mission in Uganda.

Lwanga was ordained a deacon on 1 May 1981 and a year later, in 1982, he was ordained a priest.^[4]

After his ordination, Lwanga was appointed Dean at the Archbishop Makarios III Patriarchal Orthodox Seminary in Riruta, Nairobi, and taught theology. He was subsequently elevated to the status of Archimandrite in 1992.^[5] Shortly after, he was ordained the Vicar Bishop of Bukoba, Tanzania on 27 January 1992.

On 12 May 1997, Lwanga was transferred from the Bishopric of Bukoba, Tanzania, to Uganda as Metropolitan of Kampala and All Uganda after the death of Metropolitan Theodoros Nankyama ^[6] ..

Lwanga was pronounced dead on 5 September 2021 in Athens, Greece. The cause of death was given as prostate cancer in some sources while others mentioned a "long illness".^{[7] [8]}

Inter Religious Council of Uganda

Alongside Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, Sheikh Shaban Mubajje and Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.Lwanga was a co-founder of the Inter Religious Council of Uganda in 2002.^[9] At the time of his death, was a Member, Council of presidents, a position he had held since the time of the body's inception.^[10]

See also

• Eastern Orthodoxy in Uganda
• Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos

Sources

1. Web site: 2021-09-06. Archbishop of Uganda Orthodox Church, Jonah Lwanga, Passes Away. 2021-09-11. GreekReporter.com. en-US.
2. Web site: Archbishop of Nairobi to organise Lwanga burial. 2021-09-15. Daily Monitor. en.
3. Web site: 2021-09-06. Biography of the Late Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga, the of Uganda Orthodox Church (1945 – 2021). 2021-09-11. Uganda Orthodox Church. en-US . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20210911135243if_/https://www.ugandaorthodoxchurch.co.ug/biography-of-metropolitan-jonah-lwanga/ . 2021-09-11.
4. Web site: Orthodox Christians mourn Metropolitan Lwanga. 2021-09-15. New Vision. en.
5. Web site: Natives Africans bishops in the Orthodox Church. 2021-09-15. grforafrica.blogspot.com. el.
6. Web site: 100-year journey of Orthodox Church in Uganda. 2021-09-15. Daily Monitor. en.
7. Web site: Return of Archbishop Jonah Lwanga's body delayed. 2021-09-15. Daily Monitor. en.
8. Web site: Independent. The. 2021-09-14. Greek government delays return of Archbishop Lwanga's body. 2021-09-15. The Independent Uganda. en-US.
9. Web site: Archbishop Lwanga, a voice of reason, leaves a tall legacy. 2021-09-15. Daily Monitor. en.
10. Web site: Admin. IRCU Council of Presidents – Inter-Religious Council of Uganda. 2021-09-15. en-US.

• Article on the Eastern Orthodox Church in Uganda
• Jonah (Lwanga) of Kampala at OrthodoxWiki.
• Holy Archdioceses
• Metropolitan Jonah of Kampala and All Uganda at Orthodox Research Institute. (OCMC Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 2 (1999)).
• Devil has taken charge of Uganda - Jonah Lwanga