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Novatus Rugambwa

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Novatus Rugambwa
Apostolic Nuncio
Rugambwa in 2019
Church
Appointed29 March 2019
Retired27 July 2024
PredecessorMartin Krebs
Other post
Previous posts
Personal details
BornNovatus Rugambwa
(1957-10-08)8 October 1957
Bukoba, Tanganyika Territory
Died16 September 2025(2025-09-16) (aged 67)
Rome, Italy
Ordination history
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained byNestorius Timanywa
Date5 January 1986
PlaceBukoba, Tanzania
Priestly ordination
Ordained byNestorius Timanywa
Date6 July 1986
PlaceBukoba
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorTarcisio Bertone
Co-consecrators
Date18 March 2010
PlaceSt. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Novatus Rugambwa as principal consecrator
Dionísio Hisiilenapo [pt]2011
Pio Hipunyati2012
Styles of
Novatus Rugambwa
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Novatus Rugambwa (8 October 1957 – 16 September 2025) was a Tanzanian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1991 until he retired for health reasons in 2024. From 2010 until his death he held the titles of nuncio and archbishop.

Biography

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Early years

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Novatus Rugambwa was born on 8 October 1957, in Bukoba, Tanganyika Territory, the second child of Benedict and Leocadia Rwechungura. He studied at Nyakatare Catholic Primary School in Bukoba from 1964 to 1968 and then at the Preparatory Seminary of Rutabo until 1971. He continued at St. Mary Minor Seminary in Rubya from 1972 to 1975 and at Itaga Minor Seminary in Tabora from 1976 to 1977. He then spent a year fulfilling the military service required of high school graduates. He studied philosophy from 1979 to 1981 at Ntungamo Regional Major Seminary and then earned his bachelor's degree in theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome from 1982 to 1984. He taught at St. Mary Seminary in Rubya for two years while assisting with pastoral work at Nshamba Parish. On 5 January 1986 he was ordained a deacon. He was ordained a priest on 6 July 1986 for the Diocese of Bukoba, and then served for a year as assistant priest of Nshamba Parish. From 1987 to 1991 he prepared for a diplomatic career at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy while also earning a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Urban University.[1][2]

Diplomatic career

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Rugambwa entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1991, and served in the pontifical diplomatic missions in Panama (1991–94), Republic of Congo (1994–97), Pakistan (1997–2000), New Zealand (2000–04), and Indonesia (2004–07).[1][3] He was named undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants on 28 June 2007.

On 6 February 2010 he was named titular Archbishop of Tagaria and Apostolic Nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe.[4] He was named Apostolic Nuncio to Angola on 20 February 2010 as well.[5] His episcopal consecration took place on 18 March 2010; Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was the principal consecrator, with Bishops Pier Giorgio Micchiardi and Nestorius Timanywa as principal co-consecrators.[6]

Pope Francis named him Apostolic Nuncio to Honduras on 5 March 2015.[7]

On 29 March 2019, Pope Francis named Rugambwa Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand and Apostolic Delegate to the countries of the Pacific Ocean.[8][9] On 25 May the responsibilities of Apostolic Nuncio to Fiji and to Palau were assigned to him.[10] On 30 November he was given additional responsibility as Apostolic Nuncio to the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga.[11] On 17 April 2020, he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa as well.[12] On 2 February 2021, Rugambwa was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Cook Islands, a post that had been vacant since 2018,[13] and on 30 March to Micronesia.[14]

Illness and death

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On 29 October 2023, Rugambwa suffered a severe stroke in New Zealand. After a hospital stay and some rehabilitation there,[15][16][17] he travelled to Rome in March 2024 to continue his rehabilitation at a Catholic facility there.[18]

On 27 July 2024, he resigned from his positions as nuncio to New Zealand and delegate to the Pacific Ocean.[19][20]

Rugambwa died at Gemelli Hospital in Rome on 16 September 2025, at the age of 67.[21][22] Cardinal Parolin presided at his funeral Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on 25 September 2025.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "People on the Move, N° 104". Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Ex-alunni 1950–1999, Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica". Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 August 2002. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  3. ^ "New apostolic nuncio appointed to New Zealand and the Pacific". CathNews NZ Pacific. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 06.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Rugambwa Appointed Papal Nuncio for New Zealand". Daily News (Tanzania). 31 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.03.2015" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Tanzanian To Represent The Vatican In New Zealand". Business Week (in Italian). 3 April 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 29.03.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 25.05.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.11.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 17.04.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Rugambwa named Cook Islands Nuncio". Catholic Daily. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.03.2021" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Papal ambassador to New Zealand 'stable' after serious stoke". Cath News New Zealand. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Please keep Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa in your prayers". Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  17. ^ "[Joyous news....]". New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference. Retrieved 23 November 2023 – via Facebook.
  18. ^ "Papal Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa returning to Rome" (Press release). New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference. 16 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 27.07.2024". Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Archbishop Gábor Pintér Appointed Pope's Representative To Aotearoa New Zealand". Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Tanzanian Vatican diplomat, Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa dies in Rome". The Citizen. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Tanzanian-born former Holy See diplomat dies in Rome". Vatican News. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Cardinal Parolin pays tribute to Archbishop Rugambwa at funeral Mass - Vatican News". Vatican News. 25 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
[edit]
  • Quotations related to Novatus Rugambwa at Wikiquote
  • Media related to Novatus Rugambwa at Wikimedia Commons
  • Novatus Rugambwa at Catholic-Hierarchy.org
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