Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, emeritus archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), has passed away at the age of 81. According to Vatican News, Cardinal Pengo died on February 19 in Dar-es-Salaam, where he was hospitalized at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 28, his funeral rites will be celebrated at the Pugu Pilgrimage Centre in the city.
A life in service to the Church
Polycarp Pengo was born on August 5, 1944, in Mwazye, in the Rukwa region (Tanzania). After completing his theological studies, he was ordained a priest on June 20, 1971. He served as a formator and rector in local seminaries before being appointed bishop in 1983.
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In 1992, he was appointed archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, a position he held until 2019, when he submitted his resignation upon reaching the age of 75, which was accepted by the Holy See. In 1998, Pope John Paul II elevated him to the cardinalate with the title of Nostra Signora de La Salette.
Participation in the life of the universal Church
As recalled by the Vatican media outlet, during his ministry, Cardinal Pengo was a member of important ecclesial bodies, including councils and congregations of the Roman Curia. He participated as an elector in the 2005 and 2013 conclaves that elected Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, respectively.
He also presided over the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), reflecting his commitment to continental Church unity and cooperation among local Churches.
Book of life and testimony in Tanzania
As a pastor in Tanzania, Pengo was known for his defense of social justice, his firm stance on marriage and family, and his call to overcome tribalist divisions. Under his leadership, the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam consolidated itself as a reference point for the Church in a context of profound social and cultural changes.
His trajectory included not only diocesan administration but also the formation of future priests and the promotion of interreligious and social dialogue, aspects that marked his pastoral legacy.