September
1903: A baby boy is born to Tabansi (name meaning "continue to
bear evil patiently") of Igboezunu-Aguleri and his wife Ejikwevi of Nteje.
This child was given the name Iwene (in full, Iwemmaduegbunam, meaning
"let human malice not kill me"). He has three brothers: Ifekwunigwe
("there is strength in numbers"), Obadiegwu (later baptised as Vincent),
Ekemezie (Stephen); and a sister: Obianma.
1909:
Small Iwene is sent by his parents to the "Christian village" of Aguleri
to live in the house of his maternal aunt and uncle (Robert Orekie).
7
January, 1912: Iwene is baptised and given the name Michael.
1913:
Michael is taken to Onitsha to begin his primary education at Holy Trinity
School.
1919:
He obtains First School Leaving Certificate at St. Joseph's School, Aguleri.
This certificate makes him eligible to teach.
1920:
He begins to teach at Holy Trinity School, Onitsha.
1924:
He returns to Aguleri to become the headmaster of St. Joseph's School.
1925:
He enters St. Paul's Seminary, Igbariam.
1932:
He becomes Procurator at the Training College.
1933-1934:
Period of probation at Umulumgbe (Eke).
19
December 1937: He is ordained a Priest by Bishop Charles Heerey in
the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha. His two other companions are: William
Obelagu and Joseph Nwanegbo.
1937
- 1939: Father Michael Tansi is assigned to Nnewi as Assistant Priest
to Father (later Bishop) John Cross Anyogu.
1939
- 1945: He becomes the pioneer Parish Priest of Dunukofia. He founds
pre-matrimonial women centres of St. Anna (those already married in traditional
way) and St. Mary (those not yet married).
1945
- 1949: He is transferred to Akpu/Ajalli as Parish Priest.
1949
- 1950: He is assigned to his hometown as Parish Priest.
1950:
He begins his monastic journey with a pilgrimage to Rome.
2
July 1950: Accompanied by Archbishop Heerey, he arrives at Leicester,
in the Cistercian Monastery of Mount St. Bernard, England.
1950
- 1952: Oblate of the Monastery
1952:
Novice
8
July 1953: He takes the simple vows, becoming Brother Cyprian
8
July 1956: He takes the solemn vows.
20
January 1964: He dies at the Royal Infirmary of Leicester.
22
January 1964: Requiem Mass and burial of Brother Cyprian in the cemetery
of the Monastery.
20
January 1974: Commemoration of the 10 anniversary of his death. Mass
at Holy Trinity Cathedral. Archbishop Francis Arinze begins the spade work
on the the possibility of promoting the cause of Tansi's beatification.
20
January 1986: Inauguration of the Onitsha Archdiocesan Tribunal for
the Cause of Fr. Tansi by Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya. Request is made for
his remains to be brought back to Nigeria.
12
September 1986: His remains are exhumed.
19
September 1986: His remains are flown to Nigeria.
17
October 1986:
After a solemn concelebrated Mass, his remains are reinterred at the Priests'
cemetery beside Holy Trinity Cathedral Onitsha. First major miracle
obtained through Fr. Tansi. A girl with advanced stage of cancer is instantly
cured.
5
May 1990: Final public session of the Onitsha Archdiocesan Tribunal
for the Cause of Fr. Tansi after a concelebrated Mass at the Holy Trinity
Field, Onitsha.
21
May 1990: Archbishop Ezeanya submits the Acts of the Archdiocesan Tribunal
for the Cause of Fr. Tansi to the Congregation for the Cause of Saints
in Rome. This marks the beginning of the beatification process.
22
March 1998: Pope John Paul II travels to Onitsha to beatify Fr. Cyprian
Michael Iwene Tansi.
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