Upholds enduring love, faith, and commitment in Christian Matrimony
By: Adolphus Ofoegbulem
On Saturday, December 20, 2025, the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara celebrated the 2025 Marriage Golden Jubilee, bringing together 2025 marriage golden jubilarians from across the diocese’s parishes, priests, religious, and lay faithful. This celebration was to honor five decades of marital devotion and uphold the Church’s teaching on enduring love, faith, and commitment in Christian matrimony. The ceremony, held at Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, Ahiara Mbaise, recognized couples who have spent 50 years together, celebrating the sacrifices, perseverance, and spiritual dedication that have sustained their marriages.
This landmark celebration reflects the nature of Ahiara Diocese, known for its vibrant faith community, which continues to nurture and celebrate the bonds of love and unity, reinforcing the values of marriage and family life.
This yearly event, which was the brainchild of the pioneer Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Victor Adibe Chikwe of blessed memory, is now being reinforced and sustained by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, the current bishop of the Diocese.
This special celebration began with an Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, and was concelebrated by a number of priests. During the introduction, the prelate, Most Rev. Dr. Simeon Okezuo CMF, welcomed all to the glorious occasion and congratulated the celebrants for remaining steadfast in their respective marriages, especially during times of crises.
While delivering the homily, Bishop Nwobi admonished the Golden Jubilarians to always thank and be grateful to God, for it is not easy to remain steadfast in marriage for 50 years, irrespective of all the crises couples face in their respective marriages. Highlighting the significance of this celebration, Bishop Nwobi added that these couples are living witnesses of God’s enduring love, stating that their unwavering commitment gives strength to our communities and serves as an inspiration for the younger generation, especially in our world today, that the sanctity of the sacrament of matrimony needs to be upheld. He equally charged them to thank God for the gift of life, for most of those who started with them are no more, reminding them that God has a reason for keeping them alive to witness abundant blessings.
The prelate emphasized that most times things do not go the way we plan, but we should always hold on to faith and never lose hope. Highlights of the occasion were the blessings of medals for the golden jubilarians by Bishop Nwobi and the vesting of the jubilarians with the medals.
Rev. Fr. Celestine Ekennia, the Chaplain of the Ahiara Diocesan Catholic Women Organization (CWO), and Rev. Fr. Thaddeus Njoku, the Chaplain of the Ahiara Diocesan Catholic Men Organization (CMO), gave the vote of thanks. Before the end of the Mass, the Bishop once more congratulated the medalists on their 50 years of marriage.
In a joint address signed by the Diocesan CMO President, Noble Sir AUO Anokwu, and Diocesan CWO President, Prof. Mrs. Obageli Angel Nnamocha, they expressed thanks for the success of the 2025 Golden Jubilee Marriage Merit Award. They praised the steadfastness of the jubilarians in marriage and congratulated them for being the pride of CMO and CWO in their respective families, parishes, and the Ahiara Diocese at large. “We therefore encourage those who are yet to attain this height to always emulate only the good qualities of our Golden Jubilarians and earn honor whenever it is due,” they wrote. They also encouraged young couples to identify with the CMO and CWO in their parishes and to practice the Catholic faith as good Catholics for a better society. They thanked the bishop, the priests and religious, and all present to witness the event.
The event truly was a fitting tribute to the golden jubilarians. It encouraged families to continue promoting Christian values and the role of strong and faith-hinged marriages in building a resilient and morally grounded society. The celebration not only highlighted the significance of longevity in marriages but also reiterated the Church’s commitment to nurturing family life as the bedrock of spiritual and social stability in the Church and the society at large.
