Death of Archbishop Joseph Marona
The Rt. Rev Joseph Marona, former Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, died on September 18 at a relative's home in Khartoum after a long battle with heart disease. He was 68.
Archbishop Marona was a former Bishop of our link Diocese of Maridi and Bishop Harold paid tribute to him saying;
'It was Archbishop Marona who welcomed my wife and myself on our first visit to Sudan in 1999, when times were hard and even dangerous. He was an amazing Bishop of Maridi, who became a refugee with his people, and remained alongside them in the most difficult of times. Indeed it was through the relationship with Joseph Marona that the Down and Dromore link with Maridi came about. He often visited us here in Ireland. Joseph Marona was a caring man- often in his own being the 'aid agency' for the people of Maridi, a courageous man- who never was afraid to speak out for truth, and a faithful man - who continued his episcopal ministry in times when it was detrimental to his own health. But above all, he was guided and inspired by the example and the salvation he found in Jesus Christ. Our thoughts are with Mama Marona in her grief, and the people of Sudan, and especially his beloved Maridi, where his body will be seen by mourners before he finds his last resting place at Juba'.
Marona was elected as third archbishop of ECS in 2000 for a 10-year term after having served a short time as dean of the province. He decided to retire as archbishop two years early on December 31, 2007 for health reasons. He was succeeded by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul, who was consecrated in Juba in April 2008.
Born in 1941, Marona was ordained deacon in 1981, priest in 1982 and consecrated as bishop in 1984. He first served as an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Yambio and later as bishop of the Diocese of Maridi. He served as chairman of New Sudan Council of Churches from 1997-1999.
In 1996, Marona was awarded a Certificate of Recognition of Services and in September 2001 he received an honorary doctorate from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in theology from Freelandia Bible College and Seminary in Broadway, Virginia.
Marona returned to Maridi in his retirement, but paid frequent visits to Khartoum for health reasons. His body will be taken to All Saints' Cathedral, Khartoum, where it will lie in state on September 23. It will then be flown to Maridi on September 24 to be seen by mourners in his home town, and on to Juba to lie in state in All Saints' Cathedral.
The burial service will be held on the morning of September 25 at All Saints' Cathedral. Marona will be laid to rest behind the cathedral alongside his predecessors.