More than sixty Catholic priests from various parts of Angola, participated last Sunday in a Eucharist that served to inaugurate the first bishop of Namibe Diocese, Dom Mateus Feliciano Tomás.

Priest Juliano Kandongo, a former episcopal vicar of the Catholic church in Namibe, said in the occasion that the Angolan christian people, and the people of Namibe in particular, deserve congratulations "because today they received a new bishop, who was appointed in March this year by Pope Benedict XVI, when he visited this country".

"It is a wonder to see the faithful so happy about this warm reception of the first bishop and also about the institutionalisation of the new diocese, which was much needed in this land, thus it will no more depend on the (neighbouring Huila Province) Lubango Diocese" mphasised the cleric.

The priests that attended the new bishop's inauguration ceremony came from the provinces of Benguela, Huíla, Huambo, Cunene, Bengo, Cabinda, and Namibe.

The ceremony was also attended by over five thousand Catholic faithful.