Screenshot from a video of Cardinal Christian Tumi taken while he was held captive overnight in Nov. 2020.
Rome Newsroom, Apr 3, 2021 / 06:35 am (CNA).- Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi, Cameroon’s first cardinal and a dedicated advocate for peace in the country’s Anglophone crisis, has died at the age of 90.
Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala announced in a letter on the morning of April 3 that the cardinal had died.
Tumi had been active in seeking a peaceful resolution to Cameroon’s violent Anglophone crisis. He dedicated much of the decade after his retirement as archbishop of Douala to peace efforts and is credited with helping to create the Anglophone General Conference, a framework for dialogue between all parties to the conflict.
The cardinal made headlines last November when he was kidnapped by armed separatists in Cameroon’s Northwest Region.
He was held overnight by his captors, who recorded a video of the cardinal being interrogated.
In the video, one of Tumi’s captors confronted the cardinal about his calls for fighters in Cameroon to lay down their arms and then instructed him to share the separatists’ message with the public.
To this, the cardinal responded: “I will preach what is the truth with pastoral conviction and Biblical conviction.”
“Nobody has the right to tell me to preach the contrary because I was called by God,” Cardinal Tumi said.
At another point in the video, the cardinal told his captors: “When I speak, I speak like a pastor and that I can never stop doing. If I stop doing that, then I will not be faithful to God, the Almighty.”
Tumi’s kidnapping came amid a conflict between separatists and government forces in the English-speaking territories in Cameroon’s Northwest Region and Southwest Region.
The crisis in Cameroon is rooted in conflict between the English- and French-speaking areas of Cameroon. The area was a German colony in the late 19th century, but the territory was divided into British and French mandates after the German Empire’s defeat in World War I. The mandates were united in an independent Cameroon in 1961.
Tensions escalated in 2016 after Francophone teachers and judges were sent to work in the historically marginalized Anglophone regions, and the dispute has come to be known as the Anglophone crisis.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin visited Cameroon in February and said that the Holy See is working to see an end to the protracted conflict in the two Anglophone regions.
“I am here to show the attention and solidarity of the Holy Father Pope Francis towards the Cameroonian people, especially in these difficult moments,” Parolin said.
Cardinal Tumi was born in what is now Northwest Cameroon on Oct. 15, 1930. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1966 in the diocese of Buéa.
He studied in Nigeria and the United Kingdom before going on to earn a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from a Catholic institute in Lyon, France and a further degree in philosophy from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Tumi served as a bishop in Francophone regions of the country from 1979. He was president of Cameroon’s bishops’ conference from 1985 to 1991 and president of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) from 1990 to 1994.
Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal in 1988 and three years later appointed him archbishop of Douala, a post he held until his retirement in 2009.
Cardinal Tumi received the Nelson Mandela Prize in July 2019 for his efforts in promoting peace and human rights.
Tumi published a memoir in at the end of 2020 entitled, “My night in captivity,” in which he wrote: “All I want is for the guns to fall silent and for peace to return to the country.”
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Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, stops at the Eighth Station of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem during the Good Friday Via Crucis on March 29, 2024. / Credit: Marinella Bandini
Jerusalem, Jan 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Franciscan Father Francesco Patton’s nine-year tenure as custos of the Holy Land began unexpectedly in 2016 when he found himself “redirected” — as he put it — to a largely unfamiliar land while preparing to take on a different assignment in Italy.
“I had only visited the Holy Land a couple of times as a pilgrim,” he admitted. “At first, I was apprehensive about accepting this responsibility because I felt I lacked the necessary knowledge to fulfill it properly.”
As the friar approaches the conclusion of his second term as custos of the Holy Land, he spoke with CNA about his experiences, challenges, and key moments in the role.
Father Francesco Patton, OFM, custos of the Holy Land, holding the replica of the jubilee cross during the opening ceremony of the holy year on Nov. 29, 2024, in Nazareth. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Patton emphasized that listening and studying were crucial to immersing himself in his new reality when he arrived. He credited the support of friars and collaborators, including Shibli, his driver. “He taught me to celebrate Mass in Arabic. While traveling, I would practice reading, and he would correct me. We developed a truly fraternal relationship.”
The custos serves as a unique provincial minister within the Franciscan order, leading a community of friars while also being the Holy See’s official guardian of the Christian holy sites. This responsibility was entrusted to the Franciscans by Pope Clement VI through the papal bull Gratias Agimus on Nov. 21, 1342.
Over its 700-year history, the Custody of the Holy Land has also become a point of reference for politicians, diplomats, and local authorities due to its deep roots in the region.
This distinctive role is reflected in the process of electing the custos. Unlike other provincials, who are directly elected by their friars, the custos is selected by the “General Definitorium” (the order’s governing council) and approved by the Holy See. The process is currently underway and will culminate between March and April with the appointment of the 169th custos of the Holy Land.
Father Francesco Patton, OFM, custos of the Holy Land, takes a group photo with 16 friars who have just made their solemn profession. Looking ahead, Patton envisions the custody’s mission continuing amid complexity. Internally, he foresees a more international community with less European influence. “This will be both a challenge and a source of enrichment,” he observed. “We will need to work much harder on formation.” Credit: Marinella Bandini
Patton described his service as deeply centered on the friars’ growth and community life. “I have personally interpreted my role as more focused on accompanying and supporting the friars,” he said.
“Intensity, spirituality, and fraternity” are the three words Patton used to summarize his experience in the Holy Land.
These nine years, he noted, have been “a profound spiritual journey, beginning with the connection to the holy sites. I have moved from theoretical knowledge to tangible reality.”
“I am even more convinced that as Christians, we must be anchored to the historical dimension of the mystery of the Incarnation,” he added.
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in prayer during the celebrations of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order. According to St. Francis, the custos explained to CNA, “fraternity means approaching others with trust and seeing them as brothers, never enemies. “Trust is always worth it.” Credit: Marinella Bandini
Among the custos’ favorite sites are the basilicas of the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Holy Sepulcher, as well as the sanctuaries around the Sea of Galilee. “These are places where Jesus shared the life of ordinary people, performed acts of fraternity, and had profound conversations, such as with Peter,” he reflected.
Franciscan fraternity, he explained, means approaching others with trust and seeing them as brothers, never enemies. “Trust is always worth it,” he emphasized.
This is precisely what took place in the paradigmatic encounter between St. Francis and Sultan Malik al-Kamil in 1219, an event that marked the beginning of the Franciscan presence in the Holy Land.
“War and evil produce only destruction and ugliness, while fraternity and peace create beauty,” he said. “I believe this is God’s dream, and we should nurture it more.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, at a moment of rest. On the left, the general minister of the Order of Friars Minor, Father Massimo Fusarelli; on the right, the vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land and the custos’ primary collaborator, Father Ibrahim Faltas. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Fraternity is also a style of governance, one that he has sought to follow throughout these nine years.
“My approach has been to lead by sharing,” he explained. “Today, people often speak of synodality; I personally prefer the term participation. While some decisions must be made individually, the more the friars are involved, the more fruitful those decisions will be, because those who are included also feel responsible.”
This participatory leadership reflects the Franciscan tradition, which at all its levels operates through a communal decision-making body — the chapter. “The fundamental idea,” Patton noted, “is that leadership is a service. It’s not always easy or successful, but it’s essential.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in front of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre at the end of the Good Friday Via Crucis on March 19, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
“I have always seen my role as temporary,” he said. “My suitcase is always ready. Sometimes people joke about how I travel with just a small backpack, but Jesus himself, in the Gospel (Luke 10:4), tells us not to carry a bag. So, even the backpack might be too much!”
Patton pointed to the Gospel account of Christ washing his disciples’ feet as the ultimate example of servant leadership — a lesson that continues to shape his vision of fraternity in action.
The Franciscan acknowledged the challenges of his tenure, including war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and political tensions.
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in prayer at the chapel of the Seventh Station on the Via Dolorosa, in Jerusalem, during the Good Friday Via Crucis, March 29, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
“I have lived through difficult moments,” Patton shared. “I was especially apprehensive for the friars serving in dangerous areas, such as Syria. However, I have not faced major misunderstandings, as I do not expect everyone to fully grasp what I am trying to accomplish, and I consider it legitimate for some to have differing opinions.”
When he arrived in 2016, the war in Syria was at its peak. “I asked Fra Hanna Jallouf, now Latin vicar of Aleppo, if he wanted to leave. He told me he would rather stay with his people, even if it meant dying, not abandon them like a mercenary. His faith helped me approach difficult decisions with greater serenity.”
Nine years later, with the new situation in the country, that decision now seems almost providential. “The friars were the only Christian presence in the Idlib region for many years. Now, they can play a role in facilitating dialogue with the new leadership,” he said, adding: “When I arrived, I prayed to the Heavenly Father that I might at least witness the end of one war during my term. Perhaps that prayer has been heard.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, walks together with the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during the Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem in 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Reflecting on the war in Gaza, Patton emphasized the need for true peace, not just temporary truces. “We need to adopt a long-term perspective, even if the path to peace is arduous.”
During the pandemic, the custody faced severe economic challenges, also taking out loans to support employees. “We faced these difficulties with faith and a willingness to take personal risks,” he said.
Patton also noted growing political tensions and pressures, including attacks on Christian sites and increased challenges from the Israeli political climate.
“In 2018, we closed the Holy Sepulcher, in agreement with all the churches, in order to oppose a legislative initiative that we believed would unfairly tax us and introduce mechanisms that could ultimately lead to the expropriation of Church properties.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, presides over the Eucharistic celebration in Tabgha, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, on the occasion of the feast of the Primacy of Peter in May 2024. Among the custos’ favorite sites are the sanctuaries around the Sea of Galilee: “These are places where Jesus shared the life of ordinary people, performed acts of fraternity, and had profound conversations, such as with Peter,” he told CNA. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Over the years, the custos explained, “I have witnessed a progressive shift in Israeli politics, steering the country toward a right-wing alignment that combines nationalist and religious fundamentalism. Pressure has increased on the West Bank, and the war in Gaza would have been fought differently with another government, with more attention given to the issue of hostages. We ourselves have faced growing pressure, such as on the issue of taxes, as well as an increase in attacks, both in the holy sites and personally, with insults and even spitting.”
In these circumstances, Patton expressed confidence in the custody’s contribution to a different future: “I am convinced that the custody is already making a contribution, starting with the schools where we educate everyone to have a fraternal perspective toward others.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, greets a group of children from the Terra Sancta School of Bethlehem in Manger Square during the Advent entrance in 2023. “I am convinced that the custody is already making a contribution to a different future starting with the schools where we educate everyone to have a fraternal perspective toward others,” he told CNA. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Looking ahead, Patton envisions the custody’s mission continuing amid complexity. Internally, he foresees a more international community with less European influence. “This will be both a challenge and a source of enrichment,” he observed. “We will need to work much harder on formation.”
When it comes to his own future, amid speculation about a possible episcopal appointment, he said: “Nine years ago, I thought I would be a parish priest in Turin, but I came to the Holy Land instead. Since then, I have resolved not to make plans but to trust in God.”
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