CM Pays Tributes To Archbishop Joji

Chief Minister K Rosaiah, on Saturday, visited the St Mary's Church in Secunderabad, to pay his last respects to Archbishop Marampudi Joji, who passed away on Friday after suffering a massive heart attack.

Rosaiah laid a wreath on the body of the Archbishop, and observed 2 minutes of silence.

The Archbishop's funeral will be held at Vijayawada on August 30, at the Gunadala Shrine, according to his Will.

Archbishop Joji, more popularly known as the People's Archbishop, had passed away in his sleep late on Friday evening. He was 68.

He was born at Bhimavaram on 7 October 1942 to Joseph and Manikyamma. He was educated at the Nuzvidu Minor Seminary, and gained his priesthood training in Hyderabad and Bangalore.

A deeply secular and pious man, the Archbishop was ordained a priest at Gunadala in 1971.

He was deeply interested in journalism, and had obtained diplomas in catechism, journalism, advertising and PR from the Loyola Institute of Communication and Arts. He also graduated in business administration and accountancy from Bombay University.

Apart from church-related activities, the Archbishop was involved in civic affairs. He was a member of the Planning Commission, and was co-opted member of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

He was appointed Bishop of Khammam in 1992, and then Bishop of Viajayawada in 1996. He was named the Archbishop of Hyderabad on 17 March 2000.

Tributes continue to pour in, at the passing away of this multifaceted man of the cloth.

Courtesy: INN