The newly appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Ahiara Diocese, the most Rev Lucius Ugorji has held his first Holy Mass at the Maria Ecclesiae Cathedral of the mother of the church, Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
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Rev Ugorji took over Ahiara Diocese in administrative capacity after Bishop Francis Okpaleke had resigned. The clergy and the laity had rejected Okpaleke and insisted that an Mbaise born Bishop is appointed as Bishop of the Diocese.
Pope Francis had threatened to sack the priests if they fail to accept Okpaleke as Ahiara Diocese Bishop. But in a major twist, Okpaleke resigned his appointment after two years of protracted crisis which centered around his appointment
The Vatican accepted his resignation and appointed Rev. Lucius Ugorji to administer the Diocese.