In a bold move to combat environmental degradation, the Bishop of Lira Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok, has banned artificial flowers at funerals, urging mourners to use natural flowers and plant memorial trees instead.
The announcement came during the burial of Late Rev. Fr. Antero Onap, AJ, a revered priest who died on April 21, 2025, at St. John XXIII Hospital Aber, commonly known as Atapara Hospital, Aber.
Bishop Wanok’s directive responds to the growing climate crisis, which poses serious threats to the Lango sub-region, Uganda, East Africa, and the continent as a whole.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), East Africa has warmed by 1.5°C since 1950, faster than the global average.
The Lango sub-region has faced prolonged droughts, with 2024 seeing a 30% drop in crop yields, according to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority.
Uganda loses over 100,000 hectares of forest annually, FAO has the credible data, with worsening soil erosion and flooding reported in some parts of Northern Uganda.
Artificial flowers contribute to non-biodegradable waste, persisting in landfills for centuries.
During Fr. Onap’s burial at Abongodero Parish, Aboke, Kole district, Bishop Wanok declared:
“We must bury our loved ones in a way that also nurtures the earth. Plastic flowers pollute God’s creation, but planting a tree ensures life continues in their memory.”
He guided people to use fresh, locally grown flowers to reduce carbon footprint.
The Bishop also urged people across Lango to plant indigenous trees to restore degraded lands, in addition to avoiding plastic wreaths to cut down on microplastic pollution.
Late Rev. Fr. Antero Onap was born in 1957 and died on April 21, 2025. He was 68.
He took religious vows and served as a priest for 41 years in the Congregation of the Apostles of Jesus (AJ).
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