The body of the late Cardinal Merdado Joseph Mazombwe is expected to arrive in Chipata today.
This is to allow Roman Catholic Christians and others pay their last respects before burial in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Chipata Diocese Bishop, George Lungu who confirmed this to Breeze News says that the Cardinals’ body will arrive at 12: 30 hours.
Bishop Lungu says that the decision to bring the Cardinals body to Chipata is to give chance to people in Eastern Province to pay their last respect to the late cardinal at St. Anne’s Cathedral.
The Bishop says that there were an overwhelming number of people from Eastern Province who wanted to travel to Lusaka for the burial.
And in a statement made available to Breeze News, Zambia Episcopal Conference ZEC spokesperson Fr. Paul Samasumo explains that a delegation of thirty priests, religious Sisters and Brothers, Catholic men, women and youths will accompany the body led by Chipata Diocese Bishop, George Lungu.
He stated that a Funeral Mass at St. Anne’s Cathedral grounds will start at 15.00hrs and that the body of the Cardinal will then lie in State, overnight, at Chipata’s St. Anne’s Cathedral to enable Christians and other residents of Chipata pay their last respects till the early hours of Monday.
Fr. Samasumo says that the body of the late Cardinal will be transported back to Lusaka’s Cathedral of the Child Jesus in time for the body to lie in state at the Cathedral starting at 14.30 hours tomorrow.