Catholic cemetery, where the living, the dead meet

Priests celebrating Holy Mass at Topo Badagry venue of this year’s Feast of All Saints.

Topo Island, a sleepy community in Badagry momentarily came alive recently following the presence of a huge number of Catholic faithful, who solemnly converged on a colonial cemetery.

The mission of the devotees, who had come from various parts of Lagos State, was two-pronged. One, they were there to spend time with the dead. On the other hand, the gathering was to reflect on the essence of man’s spiritual being.

Such visit, which happens once in a year, was in commemoration of the Catholic feast of All Souls.

Sited beside the Atlantic Ocean in an uninhabited area of the island, the venue presented an impression of a disused place despite the presence of newly painted tomb stones overlooking the ocean.

However, its obscure location and perhaps forgotten state, is in contrast with the significant roles the site was said to have played in the rise and spread of Christianity in Nigeria.

Interestingly, from the desolate appearance, one would hardly agree that same place once hosted a thriving seminary, church and rail tracks in the early days of the Church in Nigeria.

From there, many pioneer missionary priests, who came through the sea, commenced the spread of the gospel across the then semi-primitive ethnic nationalities that later metamorphosed into Nigeria.

Many of the Reverend Fathers and Sisters who died at that time were also buried at the cemetery located at same site.

As the gospel was spreading across the country, the site was also losing its prime position as the number one Catholic destination in Nigeria, resulting in its present disused state.

Certainly, it is in recognition of the contributions of the clergy buried at the venue that the Badagary Deanery of the Catholic Arch Diocese of Lagos, opted to celebrate this year’s Feast of All Souls at the site.

Leading the faithful to the island, which was only accessible by boat, was a Caucasian priest from Cork City, Rev. Fr Eddy Hartnett, whose mastery of the Yoruba language is amazing.

During the well attended Holy Mass, Fr. Harnett, who celebrated the mass alongside 12 other priests, admonished Christians to often pray for the dead, saying that such is an obligation with a Biblical background.

He also reminded the faithful about the import of the All Souls Day, which is celebrated on November 2 globally, saying that it was a day commemorating the faithful departed in general, but not exclusively one’s relatives.

“The celebration is being done throughout the whole church today in remembrance of all the faithful departed in our church, community, and throughout the whole world. We remember the dead people and pray for them because of the pilgrimage they are making now  to the home land in the kingdom of heaven. We pray that they will get there, they will renew their friendship with Jesus, and they will see the day of resurrection and see God’s face. So we are praying for them because yesterday they  prayed for others,” he noted.

In addition, he cautioned the living thus: ‘’Death speaks to us by telling us that the dead were like us and we will be like them someday. So we should live our lives like pilgrims by working for God. Coming here  is a pilgrimage. We walked to this place with faith and as a community we pray for peace, we pray for forgiveness, we pray for goodwill for everyone.

“We have been talking about the dead. Who are those that will pray for the dead? Is it not those who are alive? So for those who are alive be wise, be the wise virgins and not the foolish five virgins. The question is, as we are living now so after now where will you be? There is a song which says:  ‘Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming soon, are you ready to follow him today’. And so as for everyone, where will you be on that day of the Lord?”

On the choice of the venue, he said: ‘’Reverend fathers and sisters are the ones buried here. They have been here since 1878. The sisters were here too. They came in 1892, we have come to remember them. They were the ones who opened the doors of faith for us in this area. Their life speaks to us today; can we let God speak to our life, can we let him do the great things that God wants to do? Can we trust him as they trusted him?”

An attendee, who spoke to Vanguard Metro, after the nearly two-hour colourful activity, Mr. Chinagorom Nelson, said: ‘’The feast is not only important to Catholics. Every believer in the birth, death and resurrection of Christ should see the feast of All Souls as a day of solemn reflection on the essence of life. Thinking about the dead gives us a rare opportunity of accepting our susceptibility to death. The experience takes one back to the drawing board preparatory for death that will come at any time.”

Meanwhile the Feast of the All Souls as highlighted by Wikipedia, involves: ‘’The setting aside of a particular day for praying not for certain named individuals but for whole classes of the departed was well established by the end of the first millennium.

“Prayers for the deceased members of Benedictine monasteries were offered in the week after Pentecost and the practice of praying for the dead at a date near Pentecost was also followed in Spain in the seventh century.

“Other dates chosen were Epiphany and the anniversary of the death of some well-known saints, as shown by evidence from the beginning of the ninth century. By about 1980 October 1 was an established date in Germany. The 11th century saw the introduction of a liturgical commemoration in diocesan calendars. In Milan the date was October 16 until changed in the second half of the 16th century to November 2.

“The day after  All Saints’ Day, was that which Saint  Odilo of Cluny  chose in the 11th century for all the monasteries dependent on the  Abbey of Cluny. From these, the November 2 custom spread to other Benedictine monasteries and thence to the Western Church in general.”