Ndola, 03 July, 2020 / 9:23 pm (ACI Africa).
Auxiliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri who has been serving in Zambia’s Diocese of Chipata since his episcopal ordination in April 2011 has been transferred to the Diocese of Ndola following his appointment as Bishop of the same Diocese located in the Copperbelt region of the Southern African nation.
A notification of Bishop Phiri’s appointment was sent from the Apostolic Nunciature in Zambia to the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Thursday, July 2 ahead of the official announcement the following day, Friday, July 3 that was also published by the Holy See Press Office.
“I wish to communicate to you that His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed the Right Rev. Benjamin Phiri, presently Auxiliary Bishop of Chipata, as Bishop of the Diocese of Ndola,” the Apostolic Nuncio in Zambia, Archbishop Gianfranco Gallone stated in the July 2 letter addressed to ZCCB Secretary General, Fr. Cleophas Lungu.
Ndola Diocese has been vacant since January 2018 when Archbishop Alick Banda was transferred to Zambia’s capital as the Local Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Lusaka. Archbishop Banda has been heading the Diocese as an Apostolic Administrator since January 2018.
Born in June 1959 in the Diocese of Chipata, Bishop Phiri was ordained a priest of the same Diocese in September 1986.
