Sacred Parallels: Why African rituals were never pagan

Inspired by the Daily Monitor headline: “Traditions, Rituals in Pope’s Funeral”

COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | As the world watched the solemn burial of Pope Francis, rich in symbolism, tradition, and spiritual reverence, it becomes impossible to ignore the striking parallels with other global rites of passage, particularly those found in Africa. The Daily Monitor headline, “Traditions, Rituals in Pope’s Funeral,” unintentionally invites a deeper question: “Why are similar rituals labelled sacred in one culture, and superstitious in another?

From the Vatican’s Latin hymns to the Ashanti Golden Stool and Buganda’s royal shrines, the farewell of a spiritual or royal leader is never just about burial—it is a cosmic transition. In the Catholic tradition, the Pope’s Fisherman’s Ring is ceremonially destroyed after his death, symbolising the end of his spiritual authority. This mirrors the British monarchy, where the Queen’s orb, sceptre, and crown are removed from the coffin before burial, marking the return of power to the institution, not the individual.

These rituals are not unique to Europe. In the Ashanti kingdom, the Golden Stool, representing the soul of the nation—is never sat upon, not even by the king. It is the ultimate symbol of spiritual unity, just as sacred as the Pope’s ring or the Queen’s crown jewels. Among the Baganda, royal burial rites involve ancestral invocation, hidden graves, and months of sacred preparation, not unlike the Vatican’s nine-day mourning or the months-long planning of a British royal funeral.

Even symbols of transition show uncanny resemblance. The Vatican’s use of black and white smoke to signal the election of a new pope carries spiritual weight, black for waiting, white for divine decision. Yet many African communities also use fire and smoke during wakes and vigils. Fires are kept burning throughout the night to symbolise the life force, ancestral presence, and spiritual protection. Smoke from sacred herbs is used to cleanse the space or guide the spirit. The difference lies not in meaning but in perception.

Then there’s the “Stone of Destiny,” used in the coronation of British monarchs, believed to anchor their legitimacy in ancient Scottish ancestry. Contrast that with the shrines of Buganda or royal groves of Dahomey, places imbued with ancestral power, yet once dismissed as “fetish” by colonial chroniclers.

So why has Africa’s spiritual heritage been misunderstood and maligned?

Colonial narratives declared African cosmologies pagan, even when they mirrored the very traditions their conquerors practiced. Catholicism, with its incense, relics, and triple coffins, is arguably closer to African spirituality than to the simplicity of early Christianity. And yet, African rituals were stripped of legitimacy, leaving behind a wound not yet healed, a wound where sacred continuity was mistaken for sorcery.

One powerful example lies in the Vatican’s Novemdiales—the nine-day mourning period following a pope’s burial Each day, special Masses are held to honour the departed soul, reflecting not only liturgical devotion but a spiritual journey of transition. In many African societies, similar nine- or ten-day mourning periods exist. Fires are kept alight, rituals observed, and ancestral prayers offered, affirming that the dead are not gone, but continuing their journey into a spiritual realm.

These practices are not coincidental they are deeply human. They affirm that leadership is never just political but spiritual; that the death of a leader must be marked with reverence and continuity. And yet, only one side of this sacred mirror was allowed to shine in global narratives.

As the Church honours Pope Francis with incense, silence, and song, perhaps it is time the world also recognises the dignity of Africa’s sacred transitions, not as echoes of European models, but as equal expressions of humanity’s enduring dialogue with the divine.

****

Gertrude Kamya Othieno | Political Sociologist in Social Development (Alumna – London School of Economics/Political Science – LSE) | Affiliated to Global People’s Network (GPN) – A Socio-Cultural Movement |  Email – gkothieno@gmail.com