List of saints from Africa

This is a list of saints, blesseds, venerables, and Servants of God from Africa, as recognized by the Roman Catholic Church or other Christian denominations.[1] These people were born, died, or lived their religious life in any of the states or territories of Africa.

Josephine Bakhita, Sudan-born saint

Before the Arab Conquest

In the first centuries of the Church, Africa produced many of her leading lights. The Catholic presence in Africa was weakened by the schism following the Council of Chalcedon which resulted in the separation between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Church, and even more so by the rise of Islam. Following the Arab conquest of northern Africa, the Catholic Church was largely absent from the continent before modern times, although the Coptic, and later Ethiopic, Orthodox Churches remained. The following are some of the notable saints from the first to seventh centuries, though it is a very incomplete list.

Popes

Three of the early popes were either from Africa themselves or children of African immigrants to Rome. All three were from this time period and are traditionally considered saints. They are:

Doctors

Three of the thirty-five Doctors of the Church were from Africa, all of them from this time period. They are:

Writers and theologians

Many of the early writers and theologians had connections with Africa. A partial list would include:

Others

In addition to the categories above, these first centuries gave the Church many other saints, among them:

Modern times

It would be difficult to say who the first saint to be associated with Africa after the Arab conquest would be. Saint Francis of Assisi famously went on a mission to Egypt in 1219. Saints Berardo, Ottone, Pietro, Accursio, Adiuto, O.F.M., martyrs in Morocco (1220). Saints Daniel Fasanella, Samuele, Angelo, Leone, Niccolò, Ugolino, Domno, O.F.M., martyrs in Morocco (1227). Saint Louis IX of France died in Tunisia en route from the Holy Land in 1270. But after the canonization of saints came to be reserved to the Papacy around AD 1000, and especially after the establishment of the Congregation of Rites in 1588, the list of official saints with African connections is more clear.

List of saints

The following is the list of saints, including the year in which they were canonized and the country or countries with which they are associated.

St. Charles Lwanga

St. Matthias Mulumba

St. Andrew Kaggwa

St. Athanasius Bassekuketta

St. Gonzaga Gonza

St. Noe Mawaggali

St. Luke Banabakintu

St. James Buzabalyawo

St. Gyavira Musoke

St. Ambrosio Kibuuka

St. Anatole Kiriggwajjo

St. Achilles Kiwanuka

St. Kizito

St. Mbagga Tuzinde

St. Mugagga Lubowa

St.Joseph Mukasa

St. Adolphus Ludigo

St. Bruno Serunkuma

St. John Mary Muzeyi

St. Dennis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa

St. Ponsiano Ngondwe

St. Mukasa Kiriwawanvu

List of blesseds

List of venerables

List of Servants of God

Other proposed causes

Others have been proposed for beatification, and may have active groups supporting their causes. These include:

  • Anna Ali, religious in the order of The Most Holy Eucharist and reported mystic. (Kenya) The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret has appointed a task force to investigate the life of the late Sr. Anna Ali. Hundreds of pilgrims visit her burial place every year to commemorate the nun who received messages from Our Lord for 25 years. The nun is reported to have photographed Jesus. Her story has shocked many believers. Her messages have been approved and published.

See also

References

Citations

  1. For a more comprehensive list, see: sw:Orodha ya Watakatifu wa Afrika
  2. "Bienheureux Agathange de Vendôme et Cassien de Nantes". Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  3. "Blessed Lorenza Díaz Bolaños". CatholicSaints.Info. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  4. "Blessed Michele Pío Fasoli". CatholicSaints.Info. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  5. "Blessed Antonio Francesco Marzorati". CatholicSaints.Info. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  6. "BLESSED LIDUINA MENEGUZZI :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  7. "Ghebre Michael - Vincentian Encyclopedia". Retrieved 9 January 2016.

Sources

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.