Apostolic Nuncio Eulogized for Simplicity, Courage amid “difficulties” in Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe

Luanda, 19 September, 2025 / 8:20 PM

Members of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST) have eulogized Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa who passed on September 16 at the age of 67, as “a great Archbishop and diplomat” who served with simplicity in both countries as the Holy Father’s representative.

In an interview with ACI Africa on Wednesday, September 17, CEAST spokesperson said that while Archbishop Rugambwa served as Nuncio in Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe from 2010 to 2015, he was “a very present diplomat” who many knew for his compassion.

Reminiscing about Archbishop Rugambwa’s “tireless dedication to evangelization”, Bishop Belmiro Cuica Chissengueti of the Catholic Diocese of Cabinda told ACI Africa, “We are saddened by his departure, but confident that God is just and will give each one according to his works.”

He added, “The former Nuncio was known for his simplicity, closeness, and compassion, facing difficult situations during his service with our Episcopal Conference.”

“At this time of sorrow, we want to unite our prayers so that he, who was a great Archbishop and diplomat, may be received into heavenly grace,” he said.

The Angolan member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp./Holy Ghost Fathers/Spiritans) said the late Tanzanian Archbishop, who also served as Nuncio in Honduras, and later New Zealand and the Pacific, was always available to the people.

“The Nuncio visited practically all the Dioceses, drew as close as possible to Christian communities, and worked tirelessly to be a good representative of the Pope in our Episcopal Conferences,” Bishop Chissengueti said.

In a statement on September 17, Bishop Francis Jovitus Mwijage of Tanzania’s Catholic Diocese of Bukoba announced the passing on of Archbishop Rugambwa, saying the Tanzanian-born Vatican diplomat was “called by God on the evening of September 16, 2025, while receiving treatment in Rome, Italy.”

Born in October 1957 in the Catholic Diocese of Bukoba, Archbishop Rugambwa was ordained to the Priesthood in 1986.

He was appointed Titular Archbishop of Tangaria in February 2010, and ordained the following month for the Tangaria Titular See. 

During his five-year tenure in Angola and São Tomé, Archbishop Rugambwa was known for strengthening Catholic communications, supporting post-war reconstruction of church structures, and actively engaging in dialogue on democracy, peace, and national unity. 

He consecrated Bishops, presided over pastoral visits, encouraged vocations, and emphasized the Church’s role as a pillar of social and spiritual stability. 

Transferred to Honduras in 2015, he left behind a legacy of closeness to communities and steadfast commitment to the Gospel.