The new Archbishop of the Diocese of Samoa-Apia, His Grace Mosese Vitolio Tui, was ordained today, Wednesday at St. Therese, Le’auva’a.
Samoan Catholics from around the world, including many from American Samoa, attended the Mass of Ordination which was led by the former Bishop of the Diocese of Samoa- Pago Pago, Bishop Peter Brown, as acting administrator of the Samoa Diocese.
Bishop Kolio Etuale Tumanuvao also attended and was one of the concelebrants of the ordination Mass.
A delegation from New Zealand processed into the Mass with Fr. Mosese and officially presented him in Maori tradition to the Diocese of Samoa.
The new Archbishop has been the parish priest at St Paul’s Parish, Massey in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Mass also included Samoan traditions such as the ifoga and presentation of ava.
On Tuesday, Safotu village performed an ava ceremony in honor of the new church leader and guests and relatives from near and far attending his ordination.
The new Archbishop, who turn 63 in November, is the first Samoan to be ordained a priest of the Salesian Order of St John Bosco. He was named by Pope Francis as the successor to the late Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga in June of this year.
He has chosen as his motto: “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
Photo: Samoa Observer
