BURURI August 5th (ABP) – The Catholic Diocese of Bururi proceeded, on Wednesday August 3, to the burial of the Bishop Emeritus Venant Bacinoni. The ceremonies marking the event took place in the premises of the Queen Mary Cathedral of Bururi. The ceremonies were presided over by the Rwandan Cardinal and Chairman of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Rwanda, Antoine Kambanda, a check by ABP revealed.
The blessing of the body of Archbishop Venant Bacinoni with holy water was made by the Bishop of the Diocese of Muyinga and Chairperson of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Burundi, Mgr. Joachim Ntahondereye. A testimony from the Bishop Emeritus of Bujumbura, Mgr. Evariste Ngoyagoye, followed.
Wreaths of flowers were placed on the tomb respectively by the bishop of the diocese of Bururi, the family of the late Mgr. Venant Bacinoni, the Archbishop of Bujumbura, Mgr. Gervais Banshimiyubusa, the Rwandan Cardinal, Mgr. Antoine Kambanda, the Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi, Mgr. Dieudonné Datonou, the delegate of the President of the Republic, M. Jean Claude Karerwa Ndenzako.
Those funeral ceremonies were also honored with the presence of the chairman of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Burkina Faso, all the Catholic Bishops of Burundi, priests, representatives of the Pentecostal and Anglican churches, those of MPs and senators elected in the constituency of Bururi, the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD party, Révérien Ndikuriyo and many other dignitaries.
All those who took the floor testified that the passing of Archbishop Venant Bacinoni will remain etched in the memory of Christians and his collaborators because, they said, he was fair and preached the love of God.
Note that Bishop Bacinoni died at the age of 82 following an illness. He was ordained a priest in 1965 and headed the Diocese of Bururi for 15 years.
The ceremonies ended with a by-lifting of mourning.