Awamefia of Anlo State pledges support for St. Michael Co-Cathedral’s 135th anniversary

The Awamefia of the Anlo State, Torgbui Sri III, has pledged his full support for the upcoming 135th anniversary celebration of St. Michael Co-Cathedral in Keta, reaffirming the longstanding partnership between traditional authority and the Catholic Church in the Volta Region.

The assurance was given on Holy Saturday, April 4, 2026, when a delegation from the St. Michael Co-Cathedral paid a courtesy call on the revered traditional ruler at his palace in Woe.

Leading the delegation, the Co-Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. Michael Gbordzor, formally briefed the Awamefia on preparations toward the milestone celebration, which is expected to draw participation from across Ghana and beyond. He described the anniversary as not only a parish event but one of national significance, given the historic contribution of Catholic institutions in Keta to Ghana’s development.

Fr. Gbordzor traced the deep historical ties between the Catholic Church and the Anlo State, recalling how early traditional leaders played a foundational role in the establishment of the faith in the area. He noted that Torgbui Acolatse I welcomed the first Catholic missionaries into his home in Keta, while Torgbui Tamakloe I later offered land for the Church and mission schools.

“The history of the Catholic Church in Keta is inseparable from the history of the Anlo State,” Fr. Gbordzor said, adding that a formal invitation and detailed programme for the anniversary would be presented to the palace in due course.

Reflecting on Keta’s past, he highlighted its former status as a vibrant commercial hub with an international market and strong educational institutions, including a renowned Catholic brass band that performed during Ghana’s independence celebrations. He appealed to traditional leaders to support efforts to restore the town to its former prominence.

In his response, Torgbui Sri III welcomed the initiative and expressed his readiness to support the celebrations, pledging to mobilise both human and material resources to ensure its success. He further indicated his intention to engage prominent citizens and stakeholders to contribute to the anniversary activities.

Also present at the meeting was the Awormezitor of the Anlo Paramount Stool, Daniel Abodakpui, who commended the Church for preserving the region’s history and called for its documentation in a formal publication. He stressed the importance of recording the role of traditional authorities in the growth of the Catholic faith in the area for future generations.

The delegation included members of the anniversary planning committee, among them Sr. Agnes Mercy Nyatsoe, SMMC; Mr. Richard Kpehor, Vice President of the Central Planning Committee; and Madam Irene Amenuvor, Secretary to the Committee and President of the Parish Pastoral Council.

The meeting, attended by sub-chiefs and queen mothers, underscored the communal importance of the anniversary and the enduring relationship between the Church and traditional leadership in Anlo.

As preparations intensify, the 135th anniversary of St. Michael Co-Cathedral is expected to serve not only as a celebration of faith but also as a moment of reflection on a shared history, one often described locally as a continuing journey between the Cross and the Stool.