Archbishop Lwanga died of heart attack, to be buried inside Lubaga Cathedral

Kampala Archbishop Cyprian kizito Lwanga died of a heart attack, a postmortem report has confirmed.

This was announced by the Interim Archdiocesan Administrator Msgr Charles Kasibante and the archdiocesan health coordinator Dr. Andrew Ssekitoleko who confirmed that the fallen archbishop had a heart attack due to a blood clot in the heart vessels.  

Dr. Ssekitoleko said this during the requiem mass led by Kasana-Luweero Diocesan Bishop Paul Ssemwogere at Lubaga Cathedral on Sunday afternoon. 

Reading a jointly signed document, Dr Andrew Ssekitoleko informed mourners at Lubaga that the body of the archbishop had been subjected to a post mortem at Mulago National Referral Hospital to ascertain what had caused his death.

Kampala archdiocesan interim administrator, Msgr Charles Kasibante also confirmed that the decease will be laid to rest in the historical Lubaga Cathedral church.  

Dr Lwanga will become the third prelate to be buried inside Lubaga Cathedral after Edouard Michaud a Canadian Clergyman who was one of the priest missionaries known as White Fathers. He was the vicar Apostolic of Uganda from 1933 until he died in 1945. 

Dr Joseph Kiwanuka, the first native African to be ordained a Catholic bishop in modern times who died in 1966 five years after his appointment as Archbishop of Rubaga was also buried in the same cathedral.

The two are laid to rest on the right-wing of the church just behind the area reserved for the choir. Msgr Kasibante says Archbishop Lwanga will on Thursday be laid in the middle of the two of his ‘fore grandfathers’.

Msgr Kalumba, says that it has been a tradition of the church to bury (Arch)bishops in the cathedrals they served.
He, however, adds that this might vary depending on other circumstances.

“In some cases, if the (Arch)bishop left a Will indicating a place where he wishes to be buried, his Will is honoured,” he said.

He cited the example of Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga who ‘humbled’ himself by making a Will to be buried at the Bakateyamba Home which he founded.
According to information obtained from different catholic church sites, in many cathedrals, there are areas called crypts already set aside to bury the prelate. This concept of building crypts is said to have been drawn from the persecution of Christians and the believers who were buried in these caves when they died. The faithful have preserved this tradition to date. 

In the event when the cathedral can no longer accommodate more graves, the administration of the (arch)diocese can locate another site to serve the same purpose.

For instance, two of the former bishops of Masaka were buried inside Villa Maria church (which was the first cathedral of Masaka before the relocation to Kitovu). However, when Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa died a few months ago, there was no space for him and so he was buried in a cemetery chapel in Bukalasa Minor Seminary. 
Quoted by the observer newspaper, Rev Fr Edward Ssekabanja, the Masaka Diocesan Chancellor, explained Archbishop Lwanga was found lying lifeless in bed at his residence in Lubaga on Saturday morning and was officially pronounced dead by his personal physician.

Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda today also chaired a meeting of ministers to plan and coordinate with the Church and family, a befitting send off of the late Archbishop.

Government is according the late Archbishop an Official Burial, where the state meets the cost of burial and a motion of tribute moved in Parliament.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.