An Archbishop for Northern Sudan

on April 12, 2014

I first met the Rt. Reverend Ezekiel Kondo, Bishop of Khartoum, far from his diocese. He was in Ambridge, Pennsylvania for the ordination of my friend the Rev. Michael Yemba as a priest of his diocese. It just may have been the first time, too, that I had ever seen a bishop who could dance quite like Bishop Kondo! 

On April 4, 2014, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan elected Bishop Kondo as the first Archbishop for Sudan (north). Kondo will serve as Archbishop of the Internal Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and also continue as the Bishop of Khartoum.

The Church had responded to the independence of South Sudan by changing the official name from the Province of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) to the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSSS).  In November 2013, when all of the bishops met, they were determined to keep the unity of the Province, and not to divide on national lines.

Then Bishop of Khartoum, Ezekiel Kondo, comforts the pastors after the Khartoum government bulldozed their church. (Photo credit: Free South Sudan Media Center)
Then Bishop of Khartoum, Ezekiel Kondo, comforts the pastors after Khartoum bulldozed the church. (Photo credit: Free South Sudan Media Center)

But within this province that consists of these two nations, a strong leader is needed for the churches and dioceses that lie with the Islamic Republic of Sudan. The Church has chosen well in Bishop Kondo. Kondo has served the Diocese of Khartoum (not an easy place!) as its bishop since 2003. He has defended the people and property of the diocese against the Islamist regime when it was possible, and stood as a bold witness in the rubble of bull-dozed churches and refugee settlements when it was not.

Kondo and his wife, Mama Surya, are from the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan. The Khartoum government has been perpetrating genocidal attacks on the civilians of this region since June 2011. This jihad against Christian and Muslim Nuba by the Islamist regime is a repeat of the genocide waged against the Nuba Mountains as part of the North/South war that ended with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. In addition, the Sudanese government has continued to increase the pressure on all Christians in the north, reasoning that there should only be Muslims in Sudan, now that the Republic of South Sudan has been formed.

The truth is that the churches of all denominations in Sudan continue to grow in spite of harassment and persecution. In the Internal Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, there are five dioceses over which Kondo will act as Archbishop: Khartoum, Port Sudan, Wad Medani, Kadugli, and El Obeid.

The Institute on Religion and Democracy and its Church Alliance for a New Sudan congratulate our dear friend Archbishop Kondo. Please join us in praying for the new Archbishop and for the Province of the Sudan.

 

  1. Comment by Grant LeMarquand on April 12, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    A brave and godly man. Good choice.
    blessings
    +Grant

  2. Comment by Faith McDonnell on April 12, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    I agree, Bishop Grant. Do you know if he is the first Nuba to be an Archbishop?

    God bless,

    Faith

  3. Comment by Evans Kijore on April 23, 2014 at 10:51 am

    Congretulation to Ezekiel Kondo. I have know Bishop Ezekeil since before he became Bishop of ECS Diocese of Khartoum. I was deligate during the election and participated in his Election.

    Bishop (now Archbishop) Ezekiel is a avery brave man. Without him the church land in which Khartoum diocese office is located could have taken over by the authorities. Thank God, this came when Ezekeil was already the Bishop and he had work it out through prayers and contacts.

    Archbishop Ezekiel may the Lord continue to guide your family in this difficult period where christians in northern Sudan are not well treated.

    Sokiri

  4. Comment by Faith McDonnell on April 23, 2014 at 11:28 am

    Thank you for writing, Sokiri. Yes, Bishop (Archbishop) Ezekiel is a very brave man. I remember well the stand off with the authorities. The Church of Sudan is a very brave church. I am honored and blessed to know many of its members. God bless you. Faith

  5. Comment by Grant LeMarquand on April 15, 2014 at 6:38 am

    yes indeed he is
    +Grant

  6. Comment by Jeanne Mitchell on May 1, 2014 at 10:01 am

    Ezekiel was known to members of St. Mary’s Church, Ferndown, Dorset while he was training in this country some years ago. Those of us who were privileged to know him are delighted that he has been appointed as Archbishop of Sudan and pray God’s Blessing on his future ministry in this troubled country.

  7. Comment by Ezekiel Kondo on May 11, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    Faith, many thanks for this wonderful words. I very much appreciate your encouragement. I know, it is only God who is able to use His weak people to carry out His own mission. I believe He has a purpose to each and everyone of us and He has strategically placed us on our places (countries) to do just that through Him.

    Bishop Grant, thanks for your comments, you are also in a very difficult place, but God is with you.

    Sokiri, it is great to see your comment on this page. May God bless you as you make your contributions to the good of the church.
    Jeanne from St. Mary’s Ferndown, Many thanks for your kind words and all friends of at St. Mary’s.

    Faith, I am the first person from Nuba Mountains to become an Archbishop as I was the first Nuba to become Provincial Secretary of ECS 2000-2003

    God bless.

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