Catholics bid Ziyaye farewell

Catholics across the country on Saturday paid their last respects to Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese, the Most Reverend Tarsizio Ziyaye who succumbed to Colon Cancer on December 13, 2020.

Catholics from Chitipa to Nsanje flooded the Civo Stadium for the mass requiem before the burial ceremony at Maula Cathedral.

Speaking during the Sermon, Rt Reverend Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese said late Ziyaye mate challenges in his life just like the way Daniel (in the Holy Bible) said about men of God, but he was never moved.

He therefore said those that believe must make a choice to be in the presence of God with faith even in the time of trials and setbacks just like late Ziyaye did.

He said the late Archbishop Ziyaye is amongst the people who lived on earth who despite facing challenges in life, chose to serve God.

“He helped Christians to remain in faith and be of perseverance even in times of troubles at the same time defended the Catholic Faith,” he said.

Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) Chairperson, Archbishop Thomas Msusa described the late Ziyaye humble and at the same time, a leader who stood by the truth.

Msusa said he knew late Ziyaye as one person who was concerned with the plight of the poor in the country.

“He was concerned to see people spending days at depots to buy cheap fertilizers but there was no network at times,” he said.

However, Msusa expressed hope improvement of the network would now ease problems the poor people face in accessing the cheap farm inputs.

He, therefore, said the Catholic Church and the nation as a whole have suffered a huge loss through the untimely demise of Ziyaye.

Late Archbishop Ziyaye was born on May 19, 1949 and was ordained as priest in 1977 at the age of 28.

He has served as a leader of the Catholic Church for 43 years and died as an Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese after serving for seven years in that capacity since 2013.

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