The bishop emeritus of Huambo died at the age of 89, following a car accident in February, having been hospitalized since then.
"After weeks of fighting for his life, as a result of a car accident suffered in February of the current year, in the municipality of Chicala Cholohanga, when returning from a pastoral mission in the Diocese of Menongue, the bishop ended his earthly career. We thank him for the selfless service he provided to the Church, where he offered his knowledge and experience as a zealous pastor", underlines the message of condolences, quoted by Jornal de Angola.
The CEAST bishops also addressed to the family and the Archdiocese of Huambo "sincere and deep feelings of regret" for the death of the priest, who was born in Misasa - Evanga, in the province of Benguela.
Francisco Viti was born on the 15th of August 1933 and underwent priestly formation at the Minor Seminary of Caála and at the Major Seminary of Cristo Rei in Huambo, having been ordained a priest on the 14th of July 1963, at the Cathedral of Huambo.
He was consecrated Archbishop on September 28, 1975, in the province of Huambo, and founded the Diocese of Menongue (province of Cuando Cubango), where he worked for 11 years, before being appointed as archbishop of Huambo, where he held office for 17 years .
The prelate, the second archbishop with more time in the archdiocese of Huambo and the sixth to be consecrated in the new era of the episcopate in Angola, was also rector of the Major Seminary of Cristo Rei in Huambo.
Specialized in Philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and Pastoral Theology from the Catholic University of Paris, he was a member of the permanent council of CEAST and of the Angolan delegation to the Episcopal Conference of Catholic Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA).
Jornal de Angola highlights the consternation of the Christian community in the province of Huambo, highlighting its role in affirming the church as a pillar of development and social stability.
According to the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Huambo, Father Constantino Kamwango, "the feeling of sadness involves the entire archdiocese, taking into account the manner in which the bishop's death took place", reports the Angolan daily.
Francisco Viti was one of the first native priests and in colonial times "he was already respected for the deep reflection he carried out on the struggle for national liberation", he added.
"He was also one of the first Angolan bishops before National Independence, who contributed to give the Church the right direction in the post-colonial era, gave everything to evangelize the people of Menongue, his first diocese, and also helped to rebuild the Archdiocese of Huambo ", said the Catholic official.
