Vicente Msosa
Vicente Msosa | |
|---|---|
| Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola Bishop of Zambezia | |
| Church | Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola |
| Diocese | Zambezia |
| In office | 2025–present (as presiding bishop) 2021–present (as diocesan bishop) |
| Predecessor | See created |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 2013 |
| Consecration | 25 February 2017 by Thabo Makgoba |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 February 1981 Chuanga, Mozambique |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Spouse | Anastacia Msosa |
| Children | 3 |
Vicente Msosa (born 18 February 1981) is a Mozambican Anglican bishop. He was the youngest bishop in the Anglican Communion when he was consecrated as bishop of Niassa in 2017 at the age of 35. Since 2024, he has been the first elected presiding bishop of the Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola (Igreja Anglicana de Mocambique e Angola, or IAMA), the newest province of the Anglican Communion.
Early life, education and career
[edit]Msosa was born in Chuanga, Mozambique, in 1981. He was educated locally and after finishing secondary school, he moved to the Teacher Training College, where he studied to be a teacher. While working as a teacher he was also involved in evangelism.[1]
He studied theology at the College of the Transfiguration, in Grahamstown, South Africa, where he obtained a diploma. He was ordained a deacon and later a priest in 2013. He then studied for a degree in theology at Malawian Lake Anglican University.[2] He was the priest at the São Paulo's Church in Lichinga when he was elected bishop.[3]
Episcopacy
[edit]The elective assembly of the Diocese of Niassa failed to elect a bishop in January 2016, leaving the nomination to the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. He was selected in September 2016 and consecrated on 25 February 2017. Msosa's installation took place at the Cathedral of Lichinga at 1 April 2017, in a service presided over by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.[3] He was one of the two ACSA bishops to attend GAFCON III in Jerusalem in June 2018.[4]
In 2021, when IAMA was formed as a Lusophone Anglican province, Msosa was appointed the first bishop of the Missionary Diocese of Zambezia when it was formed out of the Diocese of Niassa. In November 2024, Msosa was elected the first presiding bishop and primate of IAMA, succeeding Carlos Matsinhe of the Diocese of Lebombo, who had served on an acting basis since IAMA's inception. Msosa was installed as primate in January 2025 in Luanda.[5] He has aligned IAMA with the Global South and the Global Anglican Future Conference.[2] In addition to guest bishops from the Anglican Communion provinces of the Church of England and South Sudan, Gafcon General Secretary Paul Donison of the Anglican Church in North America and Miguel Uchôa of the Anglican Church in Brazil were also present.[5][6]
He has fully joined GAFCON has one of their Primates.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Msosa is married to Anastacia and they have three children.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Bishop Vicente Msosa Biography at ALMA Official Website
- ^ a b Conger, George (19 November 2024). "Vincente Msosa elected archbishop of Mozambique and Angola". Anglican Ink. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ a b Conger, George (3 April 2017). "Church's youngest bishop installed in Mozambique". Anglican Ink. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Gafcon networks mobilise following cyclone, GAFCON Official Website
- ^ a b "Installation of new Primate for the Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola (IAMA)". Anglican Communion News Service. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "First fruits of the Anglican Church of Brazil partnership with the province of Mozambique and Angola". Anglican.ink. 26 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Welcome to tne Newest Primates, GAFCON