“He played a decisive role as mediator in the resolution of numerous military-political crises that have shaken the Central African Republic at some point in its history,” the Catholic Priest said.
He went on to describe the late Archbishop was “a brilliant man devoted to ecclesiastical works … qualities that earned him his ordination as the 5th Priest in the Central African Republic.
The late Archbishop’s “intrinsic qualities were also marked by his talent and passion for music, as well as his contacts with all strata of society, making him an emblematic and exceptional Pastor,” Fr. Akandji said during the Funeral Mass that Local Ordinary of Bangui, Dieudonné Cardinal Nzapalainga, presided over.
Born in December 1934 in Loko, the late Archbishop N’Dayen was ordained a Priest in July 1961.
He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Bangui in September 1968, and Consecrated Bishop in January 1969, having been assigned the Titular See of Culusi.
In September 1970, he succeeded Archbishop Joseph Cucherousset as the fifth Local Ordinary of Bangui Archdiocese.
The late Catholic Archbishop resigned in July 2003 at the age of 68 due to poor health; he was succeeded by Archbishop Paulin Pomodimo.
Also speaking during the Funeral Mass on July 7, the President of CAR, Faustin Archange Touadera, said, “The Catholic Church in the Central African Republic has lost an eminent pastor, the first Central African Bishop to be consecrated to the fullness of the episcopate.”
“During his lifetime, the late Archbishop Emeritus Joachim NDAYEN, thanks to his intrinsic qualities, was able to brilliantly build works of missionary commitment that contributed to the spiritual and social influence of his beloved country,” the President if CAR said.
He added, “I would like to express my filial compassion to the Catholic Church and salute the memory of Archbishop N’Dayen, a great man of the Church indeed, but also a great patriot who, at difficult times for our country, participated significantly in the easing of political tensions and also contributed through his ecclesiastical role to the strengthening of social cohesion in the Central African Republic.”
