Bishop calls for strengthening cooperation with the State

 The bishop of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the World (Tocoísta), Afonso Nunes, defended, this Sunday, in Luanda, the need to strengthen cooperation between churches and the State, especially on social issues.

According to the religious leader, in statements to the press, this cooperation should focus on social actions to support several vulnerable families, and in the education and health sectors.

It should be noted that the Tocoista Church has a community kitchen at its headquarters, in the country's capital, which serves around two thousand hot meals daily, as well as several primary schools, a high school complex and a higher education institute.

ephemeris

On the other hand, referring to the 73 years since the first arrest of the prophet Simão Toco, which was marked last Saturday, the bishop considered it to have been “the first baptism of fire of the Tocoists”, due to the support provided by his followers who more than three a thousand offered to be imprisoned in his place.

He pointed out that the historic trajectory of the Tocoista Church was one of great sacrifice, having cost the lives of many faithful.

Simão Toco's first arrest took place on October 22, 1949, and the Belgian colonial authorities in Congo (now the DRC) ordered his imprisonment in Ndolo prison (Kinshasa).

Despite the sacrifices to which the Tocoists were subjected, Bishop Afonso Nunes appealed to the faithful to cultivate a spirit of forgiveness and love.

The Tocoista Church was remembered by the prophet Simão Toco on July 25, 1949 and has been recognized by the Angolan State since independence, with implementation in several countries in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.