In commemoration of the 25th Episcopal and 40th priestly ordination anniversaries of Most Reverend (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has unveiled a week-long activity to celebrate the anniversaries.
The programme, according to the church will commence from September 15 with a musical concert, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In a statement signed and made available by the chairman of the All-Purpose Committee of the Archdiocese of Lagos, Mr Peter Nwanze and the secretary, Very Rev. Fr. Julius Olaitan to Tribune Church News, reads in part, “0The Mass will be a double celebration for the archbishop; apart from marking the 25th anniversary of his episcopacy, it will also be his 40th priestly ordination anniversary, which he will be concelebrating with Very Reverend Monsignor Edmond Babashay Akpala; Very Reverend Monsignor Jerome Gbenga Oduntan; Very Reverend Father Michael Femi Akintolu, and Very Reverend Father Alphonsus Iweanya Ania.
According to the release, the concelebrants were classmates with Archbishop Martins at Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, and were ordained on the same day, 18th September 1983 at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. Hence their famous name, ‘The Class of ‘83’ Lagos.”
Other events planned to commemorate the dual anniversaries include, the ordination of a few new priests, grand finale of Lagos Archdiocese quiz challenge involving families from parishes across the Archdiocese, and charity visits to some charity homes.
The week-long celebrations will be rounded-off September 23, with the Holy Mass, followed by the presentation of awards to the cleric, religious and lay faithful of the archdiocese in recognition of their selfless services to the church and humanity.
“The historic episcopacy of Archbishop Martins took its roots from Rome. Fourteen years after his ordination as a priest of the Archdiocese of Lagos, he was appointed the Bishop of Abeokuta on October 24, 1997, by Pope Saint John Paul II and consecrated on January 24, 1998. On May 25, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI on accepting the resignation of Anthony Cardinal Okogie, as Archbishop of Lagos and appointing Bishop Martins as Archbishop-elect of Lagos in year 2012.
“A month and four days later, precisely, June 29, 2012, Bishop Martins received the pallium from the Pope Emeritus in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican, Rome. On August 4, 2012, the Lagos Catholic faithful witnessed the Installation of Archbishop-elect Alfred Adewale Martins as the fourth Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, succeeding His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie,” the release stated.
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