By Fr Constantine Echichechi Okoli
History was consolidated as all the Awka Diocesan Catholic Knights and their Ladies, together with their Chaplains, friends, family and well-wishers, converged at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Awka on Sunday, 11th May, 2025, to celebrate the 2025 All Knights’ Day with the Bishop.
All the Knights operational in the Diocese were present and they included Papal Knights, Knights of St. Mulumba, Knights of St. John International and Catholic Knights of St. Michael the Archangel. The All Knights Day is an annual celebration initiated by the ever-pastoral Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, in 2013, to interact with the different Knights in the Diocese and to foster co-operation and unity among them.
Speaking during the homily at the Mass which had all the Knights of the Diocese seated among themselves and forming a mosaic pattern with their different uniforms, the Bishop expounded the image of the Good Shepherd as not just leading by example but also leading with the intention to bring all persons into the Kingdom of God. Aided by the Universal Church’s celebration of the Fourth Sunday of Easter as Good Shepherd Sunday, the Bishop exhorted the Knights and their Ladies to walk in the imitation of Jesus Christ who, he said, wanted to unite all things and persons under God.
Recalling the motto of the new Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, the Bishop, emphasized, ‘In the One [Christ], we are one.’ According to the Bishop, ‘the Knights and their Ladies are fundamentally Christians through Baptism and participation in the Eucharist before any other thing. Unity should exist among you, irrespective of you being either Papal or St. John or of any other set.’
He also used the occasion to welcome Chaplains of the different sets and commanderies of the Knights and thanked them for always directing them aright.
While presenting the address of welcome to the Bishop, Sir Vincent Chike Otikpa, the Chairman of the Catholic Knights of Awka, thanked the Bishop for his great initiative in establishing the event. He noted that every year unity and peace were better inculcated into them through the initiative. He used the occasion to assure the Bishop that they were making great efforts to have a common uniform for the 2026 All Knights Day Celebration. Corroborating what the Bishop explained, Sir Vincent said, ‘Our name, uniform, may differ; our goal of using our treasure, time and talent to defend the Church and the faith must remain.’
In their different speeches, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Engr. Sir Linus Ikegbunam, and the Grand Spiritual Director of the Knights of St. John International, Rev. Fr. Dr. Evaristus Ifeanacho, described the event as a rare and epoch-making one. They expressed enthusiasm that the fruit of the celebration would be peace, harmony and love among members.
The highlight of the event were donations for the renovation of the dilapidated Hostel at St. Johnbosco Seminary, Isuaniocha.