Faith and State Unite: Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu Leads Emotional Farewell to Mgr Barrigah as President Faure Gnassingbé Pays Respects
Funeral Mass of Archbishop Yves Nicodème Anani Barrigah-Bénissan
The burial mass of Mr. Nicodème Barrigah was held on September 7, 2024. The mass was celebrated by Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa and president of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SCEAM). It was in the presence of several personalities including President Faure Gnassingbé.
A crowd attended the funeral mass of the late Mgr Yves Nicodème Anani Barrigah-Bénissan, Metropolitan Archbishop of Lomé. The man of God died on August 4, 2024 in a local hospital. A month later, the last tribute was paid to him through a funeral mass led by Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the archbishop of Kinshasa
It was a moment full of emotion but also of reflection when the remains of the late Barrigah arrived in front of the church, marked by prayers for the rest of the soul of the famous deceased who, for several years, worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation in our country. Bishop Barrigah received numerous tributes and constructive testimonies that traced his journey as a man of God.
Therefore, all the speakers were unanimous in recognizing that Monsignor Barrigah had completely dedicated his life to the works of God and to the search for peace and harmony among men.
The honor fell to the Head of State to sprinkle holy water on the prelate’s coffin. Through this highly symbolic gesture, the President of the Republic, Faure Gnassingbé reiterated his compassion, sympathy and solidarity with the whole church and with the biological family of Monseigneur Barrigah.
On behalf of the Church, Mr Isaac-Jogues Gaglo, Bishop of Aného and episcopal administrator of Lomé, thanked the Head of State for his presence in this ceremony but also for his unwavering support for the church during this suffering.
A well-deserved tribute from the whole nation was paid to the famous deceased in the presidential palace, which was presided over in the name of the Head of State by the Prime Minister Madam Victory Dogbé.
The Head of State had previously expressed his sympathy, the sympathy of the government and the Togolese people with the clergy, declaring: “Mgr Barrigah-Benissan was a prominent figure in our country, dedicated to the cause of peace, reconciliation and social justice”.
For the record, Mgr Yves-Nicodème Anani Barrigah-Bénissan was appointed Bishop of Atakpamé in 2008 before becoming Archbishop of Lomé in 2019.
Mr Barrigah-Benissan, ordained in 1987, served as parochial vicar at Lomé Cathedral before continuing his theological studies at the Catholic Institute of Abidjan, followed by exegesis studies at the Biblicum in Rome, Italy.
The author, composer Mgr Barrigah-Benissan was president of the National Episcopal Justice and Peace Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Togo.
Between 2009 and 2012, he was the chairman of the Commission for Truth, Justice and Reconciliation (CVJR), a commission that he directed masterfully and within his framework he invited all Togolese to do their part in the work of building a nation in peace and reconciliation with themselves.