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Three Divine Word Bishops Honored by the Angolan State
GMD
On the occasion of the Jubilee marking the 50th anniversary of Angola’s Independence, celebrated on September 30, 2025, the President of the Republic, Dr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, conferred honorary distinctions on several national and international figures for their outstanding “Contribution to Peace and Social Development.”
The solemn ceremony took place at the Hotel Continental in Luanda, the nation’s capital, and was attended by representatives of the government, the Church, and the diplomatic corps.
Among those honored were three bishops from the Society of the Divine Word (SVD):
- Most Rev. Estanislau Marques Chindecasse, Bishop of Dundo;
- Most Rev. Zeferino Zeca Martins, Archbishop of Huambo; and
- Most Rev. Antônio Francisco Jaca, Bishop of Benguela.
The recognition highlights the pastoral and social commitment of these shepherds—their steadfast work for peace, reconciliation, and the integral human development of the Angolan people.
The Society of the Divine Word, present in Angola for more than six decades, joyfully joins in this honor, giving thanks to God for the witness of its members who, with dedication and missionary spirit, continue to proclaim the Word in African lands.
