Night vigil for late Archbishop Mugecha to be held in Kiambu
The late AIPCK Archbishop John Baptista Mugecha who died on January 9, 2017. A requiem Mass and night vigil will be held Tuesday at the church's headquarters in Githunguri, Kiambu. He will be buried in Nyeri on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Archbishop Mugecha was the founder of the AIPCK, which broke off from AIPCA.
- Faithful from the two churches came to a near fistfight at the archbishop’s home in Tetu.
- This followed claims that Archbishop Mugecha had planned to fold up his church to form one Independent church.
- Leaders have urged for calm in order to give the archbishop a descent send-off.
A requiem Mass and night vigil for the late Africa Independent Pentecostal Church of Kenya (AIPCK) Archbishop John Baptista Mugecha will be held in Kiambu on Tuesday.
The archbishop's son, Mr Paul Waweru, told the Nation that his body will be moved from Nyeri Funeral Home in the morning to Githunguri AIPCK in Kiambu County which is the church’s headquarters.
“He will be taken to the headquarters because he is an archbishop. It is a custom for the Independent church,” he said.
Burial is set for Wednesday, January 18, 2017.
Archbishop Mugecha was the founder of the AIPCK, which broke off from the Africa Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA).
His death came before a three-decade wrangle with the AIPCA could be ended.
The two churches split in 1987.
Faithful from the two churches came to a near fistfight at the archbishop’s home in Tetu Constituency last week after claims emerged that Archbishop Mugecha had planned to fold up his church to form one Independent church.
The two factions had assembled to pay last respects to the archbishop who was known to stand for what he believed for.
Mr Waweru also said funeral service will not be held at Gathinga Primary School as earlier planned due to shortage of space.
“We have moved the burial plans to Gichira Stadium so that we can accommodate a lot of people during his send-off,” he said.
Leaders who have visited his home to mourn him have urged people to be calm and put their difference aside in order to give the archbishop a descent send-off.
