Henry Stanley, the well-known Welsh-American explorer, infamously deemed Africa “The Dark Continent” — a label steeped in patronising and racist connotations. Today, that depiction is being turned firmly on its head.
Once described as a “dark, gloomy and forsaken continent”, Africa is now increasingly claiming its rightful place among the saints in heaven.
Among the growing number of Africans being considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church are three disparate, yet apparently saintly and pious, figures:
- Julius Nyerere, the former president of Tanzania, a devoted Catholic whose life is said to have exemplified integrity, public service and a commitment to social justice and traditional African values. These principles shaped his political philosophy of ujamaa (“familyhood”);
- John Bradburne, currently the only individual from Zimbabwe holding the official title “Servant of God”. Bradburne, a lay member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, was a poet and the warden of the Mutemwa leper colony in Mutoko, Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). According to the citation, he “dedicated the last decade of his life to selflessly caring for individuals afflicted with leprosy” and was killed during the final days of the country’s liberation war; and
- Eulalia Malebaka Mokhosi, known to the Basotho faithful as “MaGabriel” or “Nkhono MaGabriel”, meaning “grandmother”. It is said she would cross the fast-flowing Senqu River, even during floods, without being overcome by its waters, and that she remained untouched by rain throughout her journeys.
There are others, too, including Benedict Daswa (1946-1990), a teacher killed near Thohoyandou in Venda after refusing to take part in a witch hunt. He was beatified — the final step before canonisation — in 2015.
Another possible future saint is Abbot Franz Pfanner (1825-1909), founder of the Mariannhill Monastery near Durban. An Austrian missionary, Pfanner defied racial segregation in the late 19th century and worked to provide education and skills to the local black population.
Also in the running are Domitilla (1918-2011) and Danny Hyams (1921-2012), the couple who founded the Little Eden Home for intellectually challenged children in Edenvale, Johannesburg, in the 1960s. Their cause for sainthood was officially opened in 2021.
The faithful are also watching the ongoing cause of Sister Mary of the Trinity from Jerusalem, who was born in Pretoria in 1901 as Louisa Jaques to Swiss Protestant parents. Should her cause succeed, the country’s capital may one day claim a locally born saint.
Sister Mary is regarded as one of the great mystics of the 20th century. The opening of her cause was announced by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, in an edict dated November 29 2024.
Günther Simmermacher, editor of the national Catholic magazine The Southern Cross, says that canonisation is the church’s official formal confirmation that a person is in heaven with God.
“All people in heaven are saints; canonisation is the church’s official affirmation based on recognised miracles,” he says. “When attributing a miracle to a saint, the church merely recognises that an inexplicable phenomenon occurred through their intercession. The miracle itself is God’s work alone.”
All people in heaven are saints; canonisation is the church’s official affirmation based on recognised miracles. When attributing a miracle to a saint, the church merely recognises that an inexplicable phenomenon occurred through their intercession. The miracle itself is God’s work alone.
Simmermacher outlines the process towards sainthood:
- No earlier than five years after death, a candidate’s life is examined at diocesan level.
- The findings are then submitted to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, where nine theologians vote on whether the candidate lived heroically virtuous lives or suffered martyrdom. If approved, cardinals and bishops review the cause, after which the prefect may present it to the Pope, who can declare the candidate “venerable”.
- A candidate may be beatified when a canonically investigated miracle is attributed to their intercession. Recognised martyrs may be beatified without a miracle.
- Canonisation requires a second approved miracle, or a first miracle in the case of martyrs, occurring after beatification.
Prof Asonzeh Ukah, chair of religious studies and director of the African Centre for Religions, Ethics and Society at the University of Cape Town, says sainthood is a profound concept within Catholic theology and tradition.
“Outside this context, it is generally regarded as a distinctive religious belief rather than a universal principle,” he says. “Within Catholic teaching, sainthood is not a peculiarity but a central element of faith.
“It signifies a formal declaration that a person is in heaven and worthy of public veneration by the entire church. Saints are presented as exemplars of heroic virtue and as intercessors who can pray to God on behalf of the faithful.”
Ukah says the criteria for sainthood prioritise clear and demonstrable qualities: “Heroic virtue, consistent moral integrity, selfless service to others, and a lasting positive impact on the community — ideally supported by credible testimony and evidence.”
The Catholic Church’s exclusive authority to declare saints is rooted in its doctrinal and historical framework, Ukah says. For Africans, the canonisation of a native saint carries profound cultural and spiritual significance.
“It offers a powerful role model, strengthens local identity within the global church, inspires religious vocations, and underscores Africa’s contributions to global Christianity — fostering both spiritual pride and communal cohesion.”
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