His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze of the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha, Anambra State, has become the first African and Nigerian Catholic Bishop and Cardinal to celebrate the episcopal golden jubilee.
The Cardinal was joined by the Catholic community from all over the world in a holy mass to mark his 20 years as a bishop and thirty years as a cardinal in the Roman Catholic ministry.
From the Vatican City, the message from the Supreme Pontiff delivered by the Auxiliary Bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Reverend Dennis Isizoh, described Cardinal Arinze as a venerable brother and one who has with great dedication and humility, carried out his priestly assignments since admission into the Roman Curia.
The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama and his counterpart, the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Kasuja, poured encomiums on the octogenarian priest, saying that Nigeria is blessed for producing a rare ecclesiastical personality.
Wrapping up the goodwill messages, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, was simply proud of Cardinal Arinze as the son of the Anambra soil who had exhibited an exemplary priestly life and prayed for strength and longer life for him. The event was attended by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and other dignitaries.
In the priestly life of His Eminence, after the Pope who is the Head of the State, Cardinal Arinze is the third in rank among all the Cardinal-members of the cabinet and he is the first African to attain the level in the Vatican State.
Also in the grading of Cardinals in the world, he is among the only six named by the Pope as the Cardinal-Bishops, a title that is for life and Cardinal Arinze being one of the six has brought privilege to Nigeria as others are from Italy and France.
