A Virginia Episcopalian Special Report

By The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley
For the Virginia Episcopalian

RENK, Sudan – On Shrove Tuesday, an extraordinary and historic event took place in Sudan, the largest country in Africa.

At the northern tip of southern Sudan, on the border between the Arab Islamic North and the black, Christian and traditionalist South, more than 4,000 people gathered in the town of Renk for the dedication and consecration of the Cathedral of St. Matthew of the Diocese of Renk in the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

Never before had a cathedral been built this far north in Southern Sudan. But here, where Christianity meets Islam face to face and just one year after the signing of the peace treaty that ended 21 years of brutal and devastating civil war, the Diocese of Renk, under the visionary leadership of Bishop Daniel Deng Bul, brought together the Episcopal Church of Sudan, the Episcopal Church of the United States and the Anglican Communion for a massive and joyous celebration.

St. Matthew’s, a stunning and massive cathedral, was built with funding mainly from the Diocese of Virginia in the United States at a cost of nearly $175,000. Construction started only 10 months before the dedication, shortly after the peace treaty was signed and just before it went into effect. With tremendous hard work and ingenuity on the part of everyone involved, it was made ready just in time for the consecration.

In addition to the two archbishops, the honored guests included a contingent of nine Americans from the Dioceses of Virginia and Chicago, invited for this momentous occasion because of their hard work and faithful support for the Diocese of Renk throughout the long war.

The U.S. contingent was led by Bishop Francis C. Gray, recently retired assisting bishop of the Diocese of Virginia and the main fund-raiser for the cathedral. He brought with him five others from Virginia: from Christ Church, Alexandria, came Russ Randle, Nancy Knapp and the Rev. Pierce Klemmt, rector. The Rev. Anne West came from St. Paul’s, Alexandria, representing its rector, the Rev. Oran Warder. The Rev. Andrew Merrow, rector of St. Mary’s, Arlington, Va., rounded out the Virginia delegation. From St. Michael’s, Barrington, Illinois, came the Rev. Al Johnson, rector; Jackie Kraus and Laurie Michaels, all of whom also represented the Diocese of Chicago with its long-standing covenant agreement between it and the Diocese of Renk. Seven of the nine Americans – Bishop Gray, Revs. Klemmt, Warder, Merrow and Johnson, Russ Randle and Jackie Kraus -- were made honorary canons of the cathedral, along with resident canons Rev. Jacob Ajok and Lay Reader Abdun Abual.

The day before the consecration, Bishop Gray was honored with having the old church, now the parish hall, named in his honor, which he later commented was “quite the capstone to a long ministry” in the church.

The American group also saw the tractors each contingent had purchased for the Diocese of Renk, one last year by Virginia, one previously by Chicago, and toured the Renk Bible College, supported mainly by St. Michael’s since its inception in 1999.

On the morning of Feb. 28, Archbishops Williams and Marona, along with Bishop Deng, rode in the back of a pickup truck through crowds of people to the cathedral, where they were greeted by clergy, government officials and thousands more people in the church compound.

The service included the blessing of the baptismal font and asperging of the people, the blessing of the lectern and pulpit, all by Archbishop Williams and the blessing of the altar by Archbishop Marona. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached about faithfulness in a time of hardship and struggle.

The nine canons – the seven Americans, honored for their hard work, steadfastness and faithfulness with the Sudanese people over many years, and the two Sudanese, honored for their long years of struggle and work in the midst of war – took their oaths of office and pledged to remain faithful to the Sudanese in the years to come. They were installed by Bishop Deng, who also honored Nancy Knapp and Laurie Michaels for their work on behalf of the Sudanese people. Bishop Deng also honored the Rev. Lauren R. Stanley, an Appointed Missionary of the Episcopal Church serving in the Diocese of Renk on a long-term assignment, for coming to live in Renk, and congratulated Bishop Peter James Lee of the Diocese of Virginia for sending her.

Following the service, numerous presentations were made, including one by the young engineer in charge of the construction, Atem Tul Atem, a graduate of the Diocesan basic and Sunday Schools. Archbishop Williams and Bishop Gray were presented with traditional Dinka crosses, symbols of faithfulness during the long war that devastated southern Sudan. Archbishop Williams in turn presented Bishop Deng with a cross from Canterbury and other gifts, while Bishop Gray presented the cathedral with a woodcut entitled “The Crown of Thorns” done by now-bishop of Malakal Hillary Garang Deng while he was a student at Virginia Theological Seminary. Bishop Gray also presented each of the archbishops and Bishop Deng with specially made pottery crosses.

Following the presentations, all 4,000 people present were served celebratory meals, which the women of the diocese had spent days preparing.

On Ash Wednesday, the first Eucharist in the new cathedral was held, concelebrated by Bishops Deng and Gray, and attended by more than 500 people. In his sermon, Bishop Gray recognized the struggle of the Sudanese people over the years, and praised them for remaining faithful in the face of incredible persecution and hardship.

After that service, covenants were renewed between the Diocese of Renk and Christ Church, Alexandria, St. Paul’s, Alexandria, St. Michael’s, Barrington, and the Diocese of Chicago. Each member of the mission team from the United States also was honored with special gifts reflecting the culture of the Southern Sudanese. A special presentation was made to the Youth of the Diocese of Renk by St. Michael’s, Barrington.

The service and presentations concluded with the traditional passing of the peace outside the church. Father Johnson, a musician, joined the youth choir at the end of the service and again outside, playing a traditional Dinka drum.

After 21 years of war, incredible hardship, death, famine and illness, this cathedral has risen from the dust and ashes of war to proclaim to all the world:

Christianity is here to stay in Renk.