Villagers pay tribute to late leader

Faith, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday November 7th, 2013

 By PETER ESOP WARI

ACCORDING to the Roman Catholic Church’s calendar, Nov 2 is All Souls’ Day, a remembrance day for Christians who have died.

Not just the great and the good, but the ordinary too. 

Families visit graves with bunches of flowers and in church, the names of the dead may be read out on request. 

In some parts of the country, the day ends with a play or songs.

Unjiamap villagers, outside Mendi, Southern Highlands, gathered to say prayers and slaughter pigs to remember a great  man who died early this year.

The late Mathew Pupio was a strong Catholic Church leader and served on the committee of the Kumin Cathedral until his death.

Fr Paias Kol, of the Kumin Cathedral, conducted the first mass at the village and blessed the grave.

Kol, after reading from the Book of the Apostle John, said Pupio was a brave man who had worked tirelessly to calm the tribal fight between the Unjimap and Wekia tribes.

“Mathew, with other leaders, negotiated for the peace mediation which eventuated and today there is peace in Mendi town,” he said.

“The late Mathew’s soul has finally rested in peace.”