This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20408199

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ellinah Wamukoya becomes Africa's first Anglican woman bishop Ellinah Wamukoya becomes Africa's first Anglican woman bishop
(35 minutes later)
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa has ordained the first woman bishop in Africa. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa has consecrated its first woman bishop in Africa.
Ellinah Wamukoya, 61, was consecrated on Saturday to serve as the church's bishop in Swaziland. Ellinah Wamukoya, 61, will serve as the church's bishop in the small, conservative kingdom of Swaziland.
Her ordination comes as the Church of England is due to vote on whether to allow women to become bishops. Her consecration comes as the Church of England is due to vote on whether to allow women to become bishops.
"So now, we have taken this step, and we wish the Church of England 'God speed' as they deliberate this week," Cape Town's Anglican archbishop said. "We have taken this step, and we wish the Church of England 'God speed' as they deliberate this week," Cape Town's Anglican archbishop said.
The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town said in a statement: "The thunder is rumbling as I write: We have witnessed a great occasion, and now it does indeed seem that the heavens are about to fall upon us - the falling of rain, which this country and its people so desperately need.The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town said in a statement: "The thunder is rumbling as I write: We have witnessed a great occasion, and now it does indeed seem that the heavens are about to fall upon us - the falling of rain, which this country and its people so desperately need.
According to the archbishop, David Dinkebogile took the sermon, stressing that the gathering was to consecrate a bishop "not a black woman, not an African, not a Swazi woman". David Dinkebogile led Saturday's ceremony and stressed that the gathering was to consecrate a bishop "not a black woman, not an African, not a Swazi woman".
"She was to be pastor to all, to men and women, to black and white, to Swazis and all others in her diocese," the archbishop quoted him as saying. "She was to be pastor to all, to men and women, to black and white, to Swazis and all others in her diocese," he said.
"I am going to try to represent the mother attribute of God," the new bishop told the AP news agency. Bishop Wamukoya is a former mayor of Swaziland's economic capital, Manzini, reports the AFP news agency.
"A mother is a caring person but at the same time, a mother can be firm in doing whatever she is doing." "I am going to try to represent the mother attribute of God," she told the AP news agency.
"A mother is a caring person but at the same time, a mother can be firm in doing whatever she is doing," she said.