Above the altar a huge cross holds up an ivory-white Christ who is made look even whiter by the seven bright red wounds.
There are two extra wounds, one on each bruised knee. It is the Chrism Mass, Holy Week, in the cathedral of Jos, Nigeria.
The relationship between Archbishop Ignatius (photo at left) and his people is electric as they affirm his messages with pentecostal 'Amens' and 'Praised be Jesus'.
It is a dialogue. If he says, "The spirit is willing", the people chime in with, "but the flesh is weak."
They are told to shine their eyes and to vote wisely (voting for the President and State Governors was to be on Holy Saturday) and to reject the
"If you are not for me, you're against me" motto as not being Christian; to accept defeat graciously and to work with whom happens to be elected.
Doctors, nurses and hospital chaplain bring forward the oil for the Sacrament of the Sick, catechumens the oil meant for themselves, and priests, nuns and deacons the chrism and balsam.
"These are now blessed and are all for you," the Archbishop tells the people.
The offertory collection takes a long time but we are moved into accepting it by the repetitive rhythm of the choirs and singing groups: the seminary choir, the church choir, and the ladies choir.
They share out the singing of Handel and calypso among them.
Finally the women's choir themselves chassé up the aisle in a conga-like formation, just so happy to put their money in the box to the rhythm of the beat - you could see it in their smiling faces.
So Mass was over in about two and a quarter hours.
It is a quarter past twelve, but the next two hours were about to begin where each of the forty parishes would come up, some with their own bands with cow-horn xylophones and beaded cane flutes, with shakers and drums, to present their gifts to the Archbishop.
(I think it was two small trucks were needed to carry it all away.)
Each group was led by its dancing Parish Priest, still in chasuble, one with a rope around his neck and led by two swaying religious sisters.
He represented the cow they could not bring in!
(Continued on the next page.)
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