Lirya Parish, on the Juba-Torit road, is set to celebrate the end of its renovation works and its priests are moving from Juba following the return of a growing number of catholic families to the area.
During the war most Lyria residents took refuge in Juba and the catholic community used to gather at St Michael church.Fr. Thomas Ladu, the parish priest of Lyria, told SCR News that the renovation of the church and the residence concluded and on June 27, the last Sunday of the month, the parish celebrates its official reopening after the war with the blessing of the premises.
Fr. Ladu said the priests were moving from Juba to Lyria to be permanently in the new parish.
Fr. Thomas explained that the war displaced the people of Lyria and until 1992 they were in Lologu. Then they moved to St. Michael Church, in Juba, that was bought from the Orthodox and used as the headquarters of St. Joseph the Worker parish.
Fr. Thomas said the priests were planning to move to Lyria next week.