Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage

Date: 11 Aug 2001
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage

Roman Catholic Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo of Zambia married Maria Sung on 27 May in a ceremony performed by the Unification Church Revered Sun Myung Moon. After his marriage, the archbishop asked the church to release him from his vow of celibacy. On refusal of the Vatican and a threat to excommunicate him, Milingo agreed to renounce his marriage and return to the Catholic Church. Sung, a Korean doctor, threatened to go on a hunger strike should Milingo renounced the marriage. Click here to read the whole controversy surrounding Milingo and Sung's marriage

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01mumbailaity,' 27 May in a ceremony performed by the Unification Church',[online],Available at www.mumbailaity.wordpress.com[Accessed: 08 August 2013]
02bbc,'The marriage brought threats of excommunication',[online],Available at www.new.bbc.co.uk[Accessed: 08 August 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013504

South African History Online (2011) 'Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013504 (Accessed: 24 September 2026).

South African History Online, Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013504, (accessed 24 September 2026).

"Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013504. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "Controversial Catholic Archbishop Milingo agrees to renounce marriage." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013504.