Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
![[photograph of Blessed Cyprian]](saintc5i.jpg "10kb jpg photograph of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, taken in 1949, photographer unknown; swiped off the Franciscan Brothers' web site; please do not write to ask about the image")
- Memorial
- 20 January
- Profile
- Son of Tabansi of Igboezunu-Aguleri and Ejikwevi of Nteje; one of five children.
Though his parents were non-Christian, they sent the boy to live with and be educated by a Christian uncle.
He was baptised on 7 January 1912, and given the name Michael.
Studied at Onitsha and Aguleri.
Accidentally blinded in his left eye while playing with schoolmates.
Taught at Holy Trinity School, Onitsha in 1920.
Headmaster of Saint Joseph's School, Aguleri in 1924.
Entered Saint Paul's Seminary at Igbarium in 1925.
Ordained on 19 December 1937 in the archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria.
From 1937 to 1950 he served as parish priest in Nnewi, then Dunukofia, Akpu/Ajilla, and finally Aguleri, travelling on foot for hours on end to minister to his widely-scattered parishioners.
One of his notable ministries was his work with women planning to marry.
Pilgrim to Rome in 1950.
Travelling to England, he beame an oblate at the monastery of Mount Saint Bernard.
He took the name Brother Cyprian, and lived the rest of his life as a Trappist monk at the monastery.
- Born
- September 1903 in Igboezum, Aguleri, Nigeria as Iwemmaduegbunam
- Died
- 20 January 1964 at the Royal Infirmary, Leicester, England;
buried in the cemetery of Saint Bernard's monastery;
re-interred in the priest's cemetery, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha, Nigeria on 17 October 1986
- Name Meaning
- let human malice not kill me (Iwemmaduegbunam)
- Venerated
- 11 July 1995 by Pope John Paul II
- Beatified
- 22 March 1998 by Pope John Paul II at Oba, Nigeria
- Canonized
- pending;
if you have information relevant to the canonization of Blessed Cyprian, contact:
Mount Saint Bernard Abbey
Coalville, Leicester LE67 5UL, England
- Additional Information
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Father Chidi Denis Isizoh
Top 100 Catholics of the Century
Kirken i Norge norwegian
Saints Alive, by Father Robert F McNamara
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