The body of Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban was on Tuesday flown to Juba from Nairobi where he passed away aged 87 on 1 November after succumbing to illness.

The body was received at Juba International Airport by Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Catholic Church officials, Vice President for Economic Cluster, James Wani Igga, senior government officials, dignitaries, laity and well-wishers.

Speaking at the airport, Cardinal Ameyu described the late Bishop Paride as an icon, a grandfather, and a man who fought spiritually for the liberation of South Sudan.

“Today we are very sad because we have lost our icon, our grandfather, a man who fought spiritually and also fought for our liberation. May his soul rest in peace as we mourn him,” he said.  “Let us mourn him like people who have hope in resurrection because Paride was a person that all of us remember and all of us have been touched by him. Let us together respect his body as he lays in front of us and mourn him in a very Christian way, in a respectful manner.”

For his part, Vice President James Wani Igga said the contribution of the late Bishop is immeasurable.

“Our hearts are broken. Bishop Paride did great things for this country, his Christians, and his people in good and hard moments. His contribution is not measurable,” he stated. “It has saddened us to see his body lying before us and I am sure he would have still contributed for people and to this country but the Almighty God knows the hour for him and every one of us. He has today called him but I strongly believe he is taking him to his right hand.”

Background and achievements

Born in 1936 in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State, Bishop Paride, was installed as Auxiliary Bishop of Juba Archdiocese in May 1980. He was the first Bishop of Torit and the co-founder and first leader of the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC).

The SSCC he co-founded spearheaded numerous ecumenical initiatives including development work, humanitarian relief, training of grass-roots leaders, and peace mediation.

Bishop Paride also founded Holy Trinity Peace Village Kuron which has become a beacon of peace within the conflict-ridden country of South Sudan. He dedicated his whole life to the promotion of dialogue and development in South Sudan, as well as across the border in Uganda and Kenya.

In 2013 he received the UN Sergio Vieira de Mello-peace prize for his exceptional commitment to reconciling different communities in South Sudan.

Bishop Paride was closely involved in the peace agreement between the Government of South Sudan and the David Yau Yau-Cobra Faction rebel group in Murle land that was signed in May 2014.

On 16 May 2018, Bishop Paride Taban received the Freedom of Worship Award, one of the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Awards. The Four Freedoms Awards are presented each year to men and women whose achievements have demonstrated a commitment to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.