Africa-Press – Angola. Angola paid tribute this Thursday to former President José Eduardo dos Santos, with a Eucharistic celebration led by Canon Apolónio Graciano, who highlighted the late president’s achievements in building peace in the country and on the African continent.
The event, which took place in Praça da República, in Luanda, is part of the celebrations of the third anniversary of the physical passing of the former Angolan statesman, which is marked this Thursday.
After the homily, the former First Lady, Ana Paula dos Santos, accompanied by family members, the Minister of State and Chief of the Military Household of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, among other Angolan State entities, laid wreaths at the tomb where the body of José Eduardo dos Santos rests.
Canon Apolónio Graciano described José Eduardo dos Santos as an indelible figure in Angolan history. “It was he who brought to this country what has become the greatest pride of all Angolans: peace.”
He emphasized that peace constitutes the supreme good that each individual must recognize as the highest virtue and a fundamental pillar for harmonious coexistence.
“Without peace there is no harmony, without love there is no harmony, without forgiveness there is no harmony. This is the legacy that José Eduardo dos Santos left for Angola,” he stressed.
According to the prelate, Angola knew how to find the means to end the conflict, bringing all its sons and daughters together around a table and asserting itself within the context of nations.
“Angola knew how to live and demonstrate what the world so desperately needs today: peace and reconciliation. And José Eduardo dos Santos is, in fact, the figure who provided all of this, allowing us today to affirm our dignity as a people,” he concluded.
On behalf of the family, Danilo dos Santos considered the tribute to his father, whose legacy endures in every gesture of courage, justice, and integrity, to be just, noting that his absence is deeply felt, but his teachings remain eternal.
“More than life itself, he guided, protected, and loved us. Like a true father, he left us imperishable legacies: values, examples, and eternal love. We eternally miss a great father, the father of a nation. His strength and teachings remain alive in us every day. Our gratitude for everything,” he expressed.
In turn, the vice-president of the Eduardo dos Santos Foundation (FESA), Joaquim Duarte, also highlighted the former statesman’s achievements in philanthropy, love for others and the consolidation of peace.
José Eduardo dos Santos, former President of Angola, is widely recognized as the “Architect of Peace” for his achievements in consolidating peace and national unity.
He was born on August 28, 1942, in Luanda, and governed the country from 1979 to 2017. He died on July 8, 2022, in Barcelona, Spain, where he was hospitalized after a cardiac arrest. He was buried on August 28 in Luanda.
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