Africa-Press – Angola. The Head of State presented, on Monday, in Luanda, condolences to the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST) for the physical passing of Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento, who died on 28 September, in Luanda, at the age of 99, due to illness.João Lourenço, accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, went to the Episcopal Palace, located in Cidade Alta, to express his condolences to the members of the highest hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Angola.
Before leaving the venue, the President of the Republic signed the book of condolences opened on site, where he once again praised the virtues of Dom Alexandre Cardeal do Nascimento, similar to what he had done in the message addressed to the family, when the death of the first Angolan Cardinal was announced.
In the message, João Lourenço highlighted that the country lost one of its most distinguished sons and a good man, who dedicated a large part of his life to transmitting his values and principles for a life of dignity, forgiveness and respect for others.
“I share the certainty that the deeds of the servant of the Church and the Nation, who now leaves us, will be perpetuated throughout generations, as confirmation of the greatness of his journey and the nobility of the general cause he defended throughout his life, that of spreading goodness,” wrote the Head of State in the message.
“On behalf of myself, my family and the Angolan Executive, I convey my deepest condolences to the Catholic Church, the Angolan Church and the bereaved family,” he added.
In addition to the Head of State, the book of condolences was also signed on the occasion by the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa, the Presidents of the Supreme Court, Joel Leonardo, the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Cardoso, the Attorney General of the Republic, Hélder Pitta Gróz, members of the Executive, heads of the Defence and Security bodies, the Ombudsman, Florbela Araújo, the Vice-President of the MPLA, Luísa Damião, and the Portuguese Ambassador to Angola, Francisco Alegre Duarte. The book of condolences was also signed by members of the Secretariat of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the MPLA, members of the Angolan Council of Christian Churches (CICA), the Evangelical Alliance of Angola and the Christian Forum of Angola.
Country mourns the death
Several political and civil society figures in Angola expressed their regret at the time of the death of the first Angolan Cardinal. This was the case of the Secretary of State for Culture, Maria da Piedade de Jesus, who considered the departure of Dom Alexandre do Nascimento a great loss for the Angolan people. “It is a very sad moment,” she said. For the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for the mission accomplished, Dom Alexandre do Nascimento was a figure of global stature.
Téte António said that Dom Alexandre Cardeal do Nascimento was also a “great” diplomat, revealing that he contributed, with his own commitment, to the process of strengthening Angola’s name in the international arena. “Above all, he defended just causes, causes of the humble, freedom, development and causes of peace”, recalled the head of Angolan diplomacy.
The governor of the province of Luanda agreed in the same vein, saying that Angola has lost a landmark in its history. Manuel Homem recalled that Luanda was the place where Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento spent most of his life and priesthood. “He leaves us, naturally, with great sadness, but also with lessons of resilience and teaching,” Manuel Homem stressed.
The vice-president of the MPLA, Luísa Damião, remembered Dom Alexandre do Nascimento as a spiritual leader of great stature, a distinguished patriot, a bridge builder, a promoter of peace, forgiveness and national reconciliation, who leaves a valuable legacy, which constitutes a treasure for new generations.
“He will also be remembered as an excellent academic, who was at the genesis of the creation of the Catholic University of Angola, which trained many professionals who have been contributing to the development of Angola”, stressed Luísa Damião.
The president of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, was also at the ceremony, as the Cardinal’s niece, but did not sign the book of condolences.
José Cerqueira, nephew of Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento, remembered his uncle as a very happy and cheerful man, stressing that this is the image that people who knew him personally will remember.
Reverend Alberto Daniel, who spoke on behalf of CICA, the Evangelical Alliance of Angola and the Christian Forum of Angola, said that Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento leaves a legacy that will mark the lives of several religious generations in Angola. “It is such a great loss for all of us,” he said.
Cardinal do Nascimento is buried today
Dom Alexandre Cardeal do Nascimento will be buried today in the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Luanda. He will be the first entity of the Catholic Church in Angola to be buried in that sacred place.
Dom Alexandre do Nascimento was born in the province of Malanje, on March 1, 1925, and studied at the seminaries of Bângalas, in Malanje, and Luanda.
In 1948, he was sent to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a degree in Theology, and was ordained a priest on 20 December 1952.
As a priest, he became a professor of Dogmatic Theology at the Major Archdiocesan Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Luanda, and editor-in-chief of the Catholic newspaper “O Apostolado”, between 1953 and 1956, and served as Preacher at the Cathedral from 1956 to 1961.
On August 10, 1975, Dom Alexandre was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Malanje, being ordained on August 31, 1975, in the Cathedral of Luanda.
On February 3, 1977, Dom Alexandre was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubango and apostolic administrator “ad nutum Sanctæ Sedis” of the Diocese of Ondjiva.
On 5 January 1983, his creation as Cardinal was announced by Pope John Paul II, in the Consistory of 2 February, in which he received the red biretta and the title of Cardinal-Priest of San Marco in Agro Laurentino.
Subsequently, Dom Alexandre do Nascimento was transferred to the Archdiocese of Luanda, on February 16, 1986, having directed this region until January 23, 2001.
He was also president of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST), between 1990 and 1997, and on June 5, 2015 he joined the Order of Preachers.
Throughout his career, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ, awarded at the Portuguese Embassy in Luanda on July 19, 2010. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the Catholic University of Angola (2019). In terms of published works, Dom Alexandre Cardeal do Nascimento has “After 15 years, a truly Eucharistic hour in the streets of Luanda: address given at the end of the Corpus Christi procession”, “Paths of Hope”, “How I read the Book of Ruth”, “Intimate diary and other writings of piety”, “On the Concept of Civilization and its Incidences”, “Of the man without faith – his possibilities and Limits – According to Francisco Suarez”.
As for pastoral writings, the highlights are “Angolan constitutional experience and the justification of fundamental rights”, “Book of rhythms”, “Meditations for the Holy Year”, “Little book of Our Lady” and “On Beauty and Morality”.
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