Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, Ahiara Diocese: Symbol Of Strength And Vitality Of Mbaise Catholici
- David Asonye Ihenacho
- Jul 29, 2017
- 2 min read

This magnificent Cathedral of Maria Mater Ecclesiae, Ahiara, Mbaise, was conceived and built by the late Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe, the premier bishop of Ahiara Diocese. If not for the sudden death of that great shepherd of Ahiara Diocese on September 16, 2010, the Cathedral would have been completed and dedicated in 2012 to mark the Silver Jubilee celebration of the creation of the diocese.
Even as it stands today uncompleted, Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral still bears eloquent testimony to the faith vision of the late Bishop Chikwe in particular and Mbaise Catholics in general. The Cathedral demonstrates in a physical way what Catholicism means for Mbaise people. Every Mbaise person regards the Catholic faith as his or her most precious possession.
The Catholic faith is Mbaise people's pearl of the highest quality.The grandeur and magnificence of Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral strongly testify to that. It proves a well known fact in Mbaise land that left to thrive in freedom of worship and conscience, the Mbaise person will give the Catholic faith the best of all that he or she possesses. The Cathedral sort of tells the world who Mbaise people are. They are a people of big, solid and magnificent faith. Their faith is their life. And they will do anything to protect their faith and to make sure nobody tampers with it or plays politics with its present or future life.
Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral was conceived to play in Mbaise land the role that the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem played in the land of Israel before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Cathedral was to play the sublime role of a center of worship and a rallying point for the faith of Mbaise Catholics and even non-Catholics as well. It was billed to become the center of both social and spiritual life in Mbaise land. Just like the Jewish Temple, when completed, Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral was to become a place Mbaise people would every now and then gather to make supplications to God through Jesus Christ for the welfare of their people and that of the whole world.
Furthermore, Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral Ahiara Mbaise was envisioned to play for the 21st century Mbaise citizens the role which St Brigid's Church Nnarambia Ahiara played for the Igbo people during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. As the Biafran Head of State, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu used the great St Brigid's Church in Nnarambia Ahiara to proclaim the famous Ahiara Declaration which transformed the war efforts and the world opinion of the war forever, so was Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral envisioned to become the new center for social engineering throughout Mbaise land and beyond.
Also, the great Bishop Chikwe who conceived and built this Cathedral believed that when completed it would become a pilgrimage center in Mbaise land. Though death could not allow Bishop Chikwe realize completely his noble vision for this great Cathedral and for Mbaise people as a whole, in God's own time, his goal will be completely achieved. Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral of Ahiara Diocese will ultimately assume its destined role as the Holy Temple of God in Mbaise land.
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