Metropolitan Jeronymos of Kampala presided over the hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. Paul – Nakabaale parish in Luuka district on Sunday 8 December 2024. With the blessings of Bishop Silvester of Jinja, His Eminence concelebrated with titular Metropolitan Innocentios of Sozusa and the host bishop himself. The memorial service for the departed family members of the late Fr. Joachim Foola and installing of heirs followed the eucharistic service on the tenth Sunday in the gospel of Luke.
Fr. Chrysostomos Koolya Kiyimba, the Vicar General of Jinja Bishopric was blessed to inherit the family patriarch and pioneer of Nakabaale mission center, Rev. Fr. Joachim Foola Kiyimba. The family matriarch, Papadhia Anna Foola was inherited by Lydia Nakiyimba. The hierarchs prayed for God’s protection to come upon all those who took the responsibilities of the reposed. “As Joshua was chosen as a successor to Moses to lead the Israelites to the promised land, we pray that God grants spiritual strength for the heirs to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them,” they prayed.
Metropolitan Jeronymos Muzeeyi thanked Bishop Silvester for always welcoming him every time he visits his mother parish of Nakabaale. “I was born here in spirit. I was nurtured here in spirit. I always get mesmerized by the atmosphere of this environment whenever I step in it,” he said. The hierarch furthermore expressed thankfulness for commemorating his resource parents and brothers. “I still recall when the late Fr. Joachim triple-immersed me in holy baptism as Papadhia Anna sang on ‘alleluia, alleluia, alleluia’. It is stunning that I come here to commemorate them clad in precious priestly vestments,” he added.
Bishop Silvester of Jinja urged the congregation to normalize praying for their reposed loved ones. “Always note the names of the departed ones, take them to your parish priests so that they can be remembered during the prerequisite for Divine Liturgy,” he said.
According to records, the late Rev. Fr. Joachim Foola Kiyimba moved from Nsinze having started the Orthodox community there and settled at Nakabaale in 1939. There, he established a new community and in 1945, the late Nehemiah Ibanda Nicholas Mazinga donated 36 acres of land to build a church. Through the donations of the Metropolis of Kavala, the church was constructed and consecrated in 1994. Fr. Joachim reposed in the Lord in 1995. Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Kungo is the current parish priest, assisted by Fr. Joseph Panuha.
May their memory be eternal 🙏🙇