His Eminence Archbishop Makarios Tillyrides of Nairobi has been appointed caretaker of the Orthodox Church of Uganda, replacing Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga who passed away on Sunday.
Archbishop Metropolitan Lwanga passed on September 5, at the age of 76. The cause of his death is yet to be known.
The Orthodox Church of Uganda Tuesday morning said it had received information that the Orthodox Church in Africa had appointed Archbishop Makarios to assume the reigns of deceased Lwanga on caretaking role.
The news of Makarios appointment was confirmed by Rev. Fr. Kibuuka John Bbosa the Chairperson Board of Trustees, Uganda Orthodox Church.
“Information coming in from the Headquarters of the Orthodox Church in Africa at the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa assigns His Eminence Archbishop Makarios Tillyrides of Nairobi as Caretaker of the throne of the Holy Metropolis of Kampala. Archbishop Makarios was appointed by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria immediately after the repose in the Lord of Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga” the Orthodox church said.
Metropolitan Makarios is expected to be in Uganda early this week and will according to Rev.Fr Kibuuka, preside over the burial arrangements for the deceased Metropolitan.
The body of Metropolitan Lwanga is still in Athens, Greece as the church readies to announce burial arrangements.
Lwanga who passed away on Sunday has been hailed by many as a courageous man who on several occasions openly criticized the government over ‘injustices’.
Born on July 18, 1945 in Ddegeya, Luweero District, the late Jonah Lwanga was elevated by Holy Synod to Archbishop of Kampala and Exarch of All Uganda on March 12, 1997.
During his reign, over twenty medical facilities and a hospital have been established in Uganda, as well as an Orthodox Mother’s Union to address issues of spiritual and social development of women and their children and to fight against poverty, hunger and illiteracy.
