Dom Jaime Gonçalves’ funeral to be held on Saturday in Beira, Mozambique

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Dom Jaime Gonçalves’ funeral to be held on Saturday in Beira, Mozambique

2:00 CAT | 06 Apr 2016

File photo / Beira Cathedral

Archbishop emeritus of Beira, Dom Jaime Pedro Gonçalves, died early this morning after a long illness, the archdiocese of Beira has announced. His funeral will be held in Beira this Saturday, April 9.

Dom Gonçalves died at about 1:30 a.m. in Beira’s Avicenna clinic, where he had been hospitalized since last Sunday (April 3).

The event occurs just days before the archdiocese was to hold celebrations of his 40 years as a Beira clergyman. As news of his worsening condition spread last week, prayers for his health were said in Beira cathedral.

Don Jaime was chief mediator of the 1992 Rome General Peace Agreement and an influential leader of the Catholic church in Mozambique, known for persistently challenging both parties in the current politico-military crisis.

After the signing of the Rome accords, Bishop Gonçalves became a tireless advocate for peace in Mozambique, at times criticizing the Frelimo government for not complying with the agreements, reports CRV Magazine

As well as being the main Rome mediator between Frelimo and Renamo, Dom Jaime was the author of several books, and lauded for his work recovering Mozambique’s nationalized religious infrastructure and creating the Catholic University of Mozambique.

As CRV Magazine recalls, it was Dom Jaime Gonçalves who received Pope John Paul II when he visited Mozambique and Beira in 1988.

Bishop Jaime Pedro Gonçalves, who was archbishop of the Archdiocese of Beira since June 1984, went into retirement in January 2012, when he was succeeded by Archbishop Claudio Dalla Zuanna.

Source: CRV Magazine