Sundaymail Editor
Sunday Mail Reporter
THE late national hero, Father Emmanuel Ribeiro, was a talented music composer and a mentor to many young artistes under the Roman Catholic Church Harare Archdiocese.
He contributed immensely to the development of liturgical music.
In a tribute to the late cleric, the Harare Archdiocese Composers Association (HACA) said his passing was a sad loss of an educator in liturgical music.
HACA member Mr Joseph Jiri said Fr Ribeiro was an oasis of knowledge who loved music.
“He was a mentor and he taught us a lot about music and culture.
“He would teach us how to properly compose liturgical music.”
Fr Ribeiro, he added, was a straight-talking man who was also compassionate.
“We used to see him during celebration of mass and each time his songs were sung in the church he would correct the choir if they made any mistake.
“We used to appreciate him and wondered how he did his things.
“He contributed a lot to the Roman Catholic music and hymns and we consider him a doyen of liturgical music.
“For us youngsters, he had a humorous way of advising
us, especially when young composers were not doing things right.”
Fr Ribeiro composed dozens of popular Catholic hymns and spent his last days as a priest at St Mary’s Queen of Peace Parish in Highfield.
His first song, “Gamuchirai Mambo Mupiro Uyu”, which was unveiled 1961, is popular among many Catholics today.
His other popular compositions include “Alleluia munyika dzose”, “Tauya nezvipo zvemupiro”, “Mambo Mwari wamasimba”, “Hwayana yaMwari” and “Mwari Ngaarumbidzwe”, among others.
Fr Ribeiro was born in 1935 and studied at St Francis Xavier College in Kutama.
In 1952 he joined Chishawasha Seminary where he did his junior certificate in education before joining Chishawasha Seminary for Philosophy Studies in 1954.
He proceeded to Gokomere Mission where he did his teaching course.
He was ordained a diocesan priest on December 13, 1964.
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