THOUSANDS of Anglicans have thronged the Bernard Mizeki Shrine in Marondera as pilgrims descended on the venue to commemorate the life of the martyr who died in 1896.
Report by Jairos Saunyama
The event — which is being held under the theme God Is Faithful — is the first in five years for the legitimate Chad Gandiya-led Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA), who were being barred from using the shrine by excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga. This saw them opting for an alternative venue.
Yesterday traffic volume increased in Marondera with Anglicans eager not to miss the first day of the commemorations which are set to end tomorrow.
The atmosphere in the town livened up with the sound of celebrating Anglican Church members virtually all over the place.
In an interview yesterday, CPCA spokesperson Precious Shumba said they were expecting more people at the shrine.
“We are expecting more pilgrims to throng the venue and by tomorrow (today) I am quite sure there will be no breathing space. Remember it is a Friday and some people are still at work, which means more people are still on their way,” said Shumba.
“We are expecting more than 10 000 people. We also have people from other Southern African countries like Malawi and Mozambique who will be attending the main event on Saturday where there will be the Holy Communion.”
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Bernard Mizeki was born in 1861 in Mamiyeri Mitseka Gwambe in Inhambane, Mozambique. In January 1891, Mizeki accompanied the new missionary bishop of Mashonaland, George William Knight-Bruce, as a catechist among the Shona people. He was sent to work in Marondera District and settled in the kraal of Mangwende Mungati. In March 1896, Mizeki married Mutwa, a granddaughter of Chief Mangwende and a Christian convert. On the night of June 18, 1896, he was dragged from his home and stabbed. Mutwa found him still alive and went for help. Before she could return, she and others reported seeing a great white light all over that place, and a loud noise “like many wings of great birds”.
