Archbishop Boniface Lele laid to rest in tomb carved out of coral rock

Church elders and Fathers lay the casket bearing the remains of Lele in the tomb where he was buried within the church compound. [Photo: Gideon Maundu/Standard]

By Benard Sanga

Mombasa, Kenya: Thousands of mourners thronged the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Mombasa, to bid farewell to the late former Catholic Archbishop Boniface Lele.

Lele was buried in a tomb carved out of coral rock within the cathedral’s compound, which is one of East Africa’s oldest church.

The burial brought business in the coastal town to a standstill as thousands of people attended the ceremony. Roads leading to the cathedral were blocked.

There was a heavy police presence at the church and Mombasa town, where terrorists have struck Christian congregations, injuring and killing worshippers.

But the security fears did not deter Muslims, Christians and even Hindus from joining together to mourn a man described as selfless, pious and a champion of the poor and disadvantaged in society.

Lele who resigned from priesthood due to ill health died on April 9 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his retirement home in Changamwe, Mombasa.

Catholic head Pope Francis Benedict XVI hailed Lele’s service to the Catholic Church, as President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as “selfless true son of Kenya who championed the rights of the poor”.

Head of the Catholic church in Kenya John Cardinal Njue who presided over the requiem mass urged Kenyans to emulate Lele’s conduct adding that the Catholic Church has lost an invaluable theologian and Christian.

Lele, as Catholic Archbishop for eight years, was loved by the main religions in the multi-religious Mombasa and was once chairman of the Coast Interfaith Clerics Forum that brings together Muslims, Christians, Hindus and traditional Kaya elders.

The burial, also attended by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, who is the Pope’s representative to Kenya, was conducted under strict Catholic rites.

Excellent service

In a message delivered by Archbishop Balvo, Pope Francis said he was satisfied with Lele’s services during his 40 years as a clergyman.

Lele’s body was laid in a tomb at the grotto inside the Mombasa Holy Ghost Cathedral after a requiem mass in the church’s ground.

Earlier in the day, a requiem mass was held at the Loreto Convent School including the absolution at the bier, where the casket containing his remains was sprinkled with holy water and incensed by Cardinal Njue.

Father John Correa, the Cathedral parish priest, disclosed how Lele was frustrated in his last years after being rejected by close friends who did not consider his liberal ideas as practical.

“He lived in anguish in his last days,” added Father Correa who said the late Lele suffered ‘emotionally and physically’ unto his death.

Unlike an ordinary Catholic faithful, the bier holding the casket of his body was positioned centrally inside the sanctuary but his feet were away from the altar.

Save for Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu who read the President’s speech and Mombasa Deputy Governor Hazel Katana, politicians were barred from delivering speeches at the funeral.

No politics

CORD leaders reacted angrily to being denied chance to address the ceremony. Led by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetang’ula and Anyang’ Nyongo’, they said it was “disrespectful” to deny Mr Kalonzo (CORD co-principal) a chance to eulogise Lele given his status in the country.

The leaders even went offensive and accused the Catholic Church of falling from its past grace of acting as the “voice of the voiceless” and fighting corruption in the current regime.

“Kalonzo is not only a prominent leader in the country but he has a long relationship with the late Lele given his roots from Ukambani and for him not to be given a chance to speak is really hurting,” said Prof Nyong’o.