The organizing committee of the consecration of the fourth Bishop of Hanuato’o Diocese of the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the Makira Ulawa Province has set March 21 as the date for the big church event.
And the consecration and installation of Father Arthur Stanley Abui as the Fourth Bishop of the Hanuato’o Diocese will be held at the St. Peter’s Cathedral in Kira Kira, the Diocesan Headquarters, and also the Provincial Capital of Makira Ulawa Province.
The program has it that on March 14, delegations from East and West Arosi Parishes and Fr Abui’s relatives will arrive in Kira Kira; other delegations from other parishes will arrive on March 17 and 18 while the Archbishop’s delegation which will include invited Members of Parliament will arrive on Friday, March 19.
Archbishop Leonard Dawea, the MPs, and their delegates on arrival at the Ngorangora domestic airport will be garlanded, given a traditional challenge at San Damiano Area before being led to the St Peter’s Cathedral Refreshment Hut by the Bwaunasugu Women’s Marching Band.
The names of the MPs who are being invited to attend the Fourth Bishop’s consecration and installation are yet to be announced.
But the Archbishop and the MPs will be accorded an official welcome at the Refreshment Hut which will be followed by three hours of refreshment and entertainment between 8 pm and 11 pm.
And on March 20, food preparations for the Consecration and Installation Feast the next day will be carried out by various committees, Bishop’s relatives, Diocesan Parishes of Kira Kira West Makira Community; Kira Kira Ugi Ulawa Community, and Kira Kira East Makira Community.
The Organising Committee sets an entertainment program which will kick off at 10 am and will end at 3 pm at the Kira Kira Kastom Haus while food preparations go on.
Meanwhile, the Program has it that the Consecration Service on March 21 will begin at 7 am after the arrivals of Archbishop Dawea, Retired Hanuato’o Diocesan Bishop, Alfred Karibongi, MPs, and delegates in the Church.
While Archbishop Dawea will be the celebrant, Retired Bishop Karibongi will be the preacher.
The four-hour service will finish at 11 am and will be followed by an hour of refreshment and feasting, presentation of gifts, and speeches.
The committee says the gifts will be presented by the Diocese of Hanuato’o; the Diocese of Vanuatu; the Diocese of Temotu; the Diocese of Malaita; the Diocese of Isabel; the Diocese of Central Solomon; the Diocese of Banks and Torres and the Diocese of Central Melanesia.
The Entertainment Program for March 18, 19, 20, and 21 will see Natagera Custom Dancers; Oaorigi Women Dancers, and Arosi Cultural Group performing at the Kira Kira Kastom Haus in the morning and in the evening, the Arosi Cultural Group and Omagi Panpipers will perform at the St Peter’s Cathedral Refreshment Hut.
Other groups that will entertain the crowds are Ulawa Cultural Dancers; Masi Dancers and Oaorigi MU Group.
St Peter’s Cathedral Refreshment Hut and the Kira Kira Kastom Haus will be the two Entertainment Centres.
By GEORGE ATKIN
Kira Kira Correspondent
