Former archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS), the Rt. Rev Joseph Marona died last Friday in Khartoum after a long battle with heart disease. He was 68.

Elected as the third archbishop for the ECS in 2000, Marona served for 8 years in the position before health circumstances led him to retire. He was succeeded by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul, who was consecrated in Juba in April 2008.

In 1996, Marona was awarded a Certificate of Recognition of Services by the Episcopal Church of Sudan after serving for 15 years in various positions. In September 2001 he received an honorary doctorate from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Marona received his bachelor's and master's degrees in theology from Freelandia Bible College and Seminary in Broadway, Virginia.

Marona's body will be taken to All Saints' Cathedral, Khartoum, where it will lie in state on Wednesday. The following day it will then be flown to his hometown of Maridi to be seen by mourners, and then on to Juba to lie in state in the All Saints' Cathedral.

The burial service will be held on the morning of Sept. 25 at All Saints' Cathedral. Marona will be laid to rest behind the cathedral alongside his predecessors.