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KAMPALA - The election of the Orthodox Archimandrite Constantine Mbonabingi as the Bishop of the Orthodox Diocese of Juba and all South Sudan has caused great excitement among the leaders of the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC).  

Hitherto the Secretary General of UJCC, the Rt. Rev. Mbonabingi was elected to the Orthodox episcopate by the Holy Synod of Alexandria and All Africa, which sat in Alexandria recently.

Speaking to Christian pilgrims during the celebration of the Ecumenical Public Way of the Cross at Old Kampala SS Sports ground on Good Friday, the Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, the Rt. Rev. Prof Joseph Antony Zziwa expressed great joy at Mbonabingi’s appointment and asked Christians to pray for him to be successful in his new ministry.

Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere (holding a microphone) and Archbishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu (centre, bowing his head down) praying for Archimandrite Constantine Mbonabingi (the Orthodox Bishop-elect of Juba) during the celebration of the ecumenical Public Way of the Cross at Old Kampala SS Sports Ground on Good Friday. (All Photos by Mathias Mazinga)

The Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, the Most Rev. Paul Ssemogerere also paid tribute to Mbonabingi for his good service at UJCC.

“Our brother Mbonabingi has been committed to the work of UJCC. He has been a passionate advocate of peace, justice, unity, morality, human rights, and good governance. We wish him well in his new ministry,” Ssemogerere said.

Bishop-elect Constantine Mbonabingi studied Theology in USA after which he was ordained a priest in 1996. 

He was elevated to the level of archimandrite on May 25, 2017. The function took place at Holy Ascension Orthodox Church, Ngombe (in Fort Portal)  where he was then serving as parish priest and Dean.