Africa-Press – Angola. The President of the Republic participated this Sunday, in the village of Catete, municipality of Icolo e Bengo, in the thanksgiving service, in allusion to the birth centenary of the first President of Angola, António Agostinho Neto.
Organized by various religious denominations, such as the Evangelical Christian Church of Angola (CICA), the Evangelical Alliance of Angola (AEA), the Angolan Christian Forum (FCA) and the Catholic Church’s Archdiocese of Luanda, the service took place under the motto “Angolanos in Christ hand in hand for the future”.
The Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança Costa, the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, deputies from various benches of the National Assembly, members of the Executive and the MPLA board were also present at the service, in which the faithful prayed for the cohesion of the different churches in the country, peace, improvement of citizens’ lives, as well as by the families of the heroes of independence.
The leader of the Tocoísta church, Dom Afonso Nunes, recognized during the homily that the poem “Sagrada Esperança”, by President António Agostinho Neto has “important lessons”, which should be studied, above all, by the younger classes.
Dom Afonso Nunes defended respect for the country’s authorities, the elders, and greater compassion for the most needy communities. He also asked the faithful for greater support for the rulers, so that they can better serve the Nation and its citizens.
“We are condemned to respect our elders, help governments to do good and teach Angolans to preserve peace”, said Dom Afonso Nunes, stressing that the church must continue to strengthen partnerships with the Government, in favor of the good. citizens’ social being.
Pillar of Independence
The secretary general of CICA, Deolinda Teca, considered the National Hero as the “pillar” of national independence and a man of national and international dimension.
Deolinda Teca defended greater recognition of the achievements and humanist vision of President António Agostinho Neto, who will also continue to be a “man of mandatory reference” for future generations.
The CICA official appealed to Angolans to work incessantly for the preservation of peace, stressing that her religious confession will continue to pray to keep Angolans increasingly united.
Dom Kahango praises the cult
The auxiliary bishop emeritus of Luanda, Dom Anastácio Kahango, praised the exemplary and organized way in which the service took place and took the opportunity to thank the presence of the President of the Republic and other entities in the same, which essentially aimed to honor the memory of President António Agostinho Neto.
Bishop Emílio de Carvalho, from the Methodist Church, asked Angolan society rue foste, on a regular basis, to pay tribute to the memory of Agostinho Neto, who fought “tirelessly” for the country’s independence.
The new leader of Parliament, Carolina Cerqueira, suggested that Agostinho Neto’s work and career be included in school textbooks, so that youth can understand the poet’s political and cultural dimension.
For the MPLA vice-president, Luísa Damião, the Founder of the Angolan Nation was an “unavoidable figure” in Angolan history, for having, above all, proclaimed national independence on 11 November 1975, before Africa and the world.
“Honoring the Founder of the Nation should be a feeling that should guide every Angolan”, he said.
Greatest figure of the 20th century
The bishop of the United Methodist Church, Gaspar João Domingos, considered Agostinho Neto as the “greatest and most important figure” in Angolan history in the second half of the 20th century.
In his homily, the prelate also highlighted the achievements of the National Hero, recalling that Dr. Agostinho Neto had a humanist Christian religious upbringing, having made his first public prayer at the age of 14, in the African National League
“Neto was a studious, diligent, introverted, slender and elegant man”, he characterized, adding that from a very early age Agostinho Neto had already drawn the role that history had in store for him.
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