AFRICA/EQUATORIAL GUINEA – Funeral Mass for Vicar General of Malabo, whose death was remembered by Pope Leo XIV, to be held on May 7

AFRICA/EQUATORIAL GUINEA – Funeral Mass for Vicar General of Malabo, whose death was remembered by Pope Leo XIV, to be held on May 7

Tuesday, 5 May 2026

Malabo (Fides News Agency) – The funeral Mass for Father Fortunato Nsue Esono, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Malabo, will be held on May 7. The priest was found dead on April 17 in the parish of Our Lady of Bisila, under circumstances that initially raised suspicions. The priest was found lying on the floor of his home with a head injury.

The announcement of the funeral comes after the publication of the autopsy results, performed on April 29 at the Sipopo hospital by Egyptian specialists. “The medical report confirmed that the cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction, a consequence of a pre-existing heart condition,” the Episcopal Conference of Equatorial Guinea stated. Experts added that “the incident caused a sudden loss of consciousness and a subsequent fall, ruling out any signs of violence or third-party involvement.”

In his homily at the Mass concluding his visit to Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo XIV remembered the deceased priest, who was involved in preparing the apostolic journey to the country, urging people to face their grief with faith and not to draw hasty comments or conclusions, adding that full light will be shed on the circumstances of his death (see Fides, 23/4/2026).

To dispel any doubts, the local government commissioned a forensic investigation by a team of Egyptian pathologists, who confirmed that the death was due to natural causes. No signs of aggression or toxic substances were found.

The posthumous tribute began with three days of prayer at the parish of Our Lady of Bisila. The celebrations will continue on May 6 with the opening of the chapel of rest, where the body will lie in state until dawn to allow the faithful, family, and clergy to pay their last respects.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated on May 7 at 11:00 a.m. local time in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Malabo. The ceremony, which will be attended by ecclesiastical and civil authorities, will precede the burial.

According to the biography released by the local Episcopal Conference, Father Fortunato Nsue Esono was born on March 1, 1986, in the Monte Carmelo neighborhood of Mongomo, the son of Francisco Esono and Carmen Ayiambeng. His vocation manifested itself early as an altar server at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. He studied at the St. Paul VI Minor Seminary in Ebibeyín and, since September 2005, continued his higher studies at the La Purísima Interdiocesan Major Seminary in Bata. He was ordained a deacon on November 19, 2011, and received priestly ordination on May 7, 2012, in the Ebibeyín Cathedral. After serving as parish priest in Mokom (Micomiseng), he moved to Spain to pursue a doctorate in Biblical Theology at the University of Navarra (Pamplona), writing his dissertation on the temptations of Jesus. Upon his return to Equatorial Guinea, he was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Malabo, where he held various positions in the curia until his appointment as vicar general last August. (L.M.) (Fides News Agency, 5/5/2026)

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