RALEIGH – The Diocese of Raleigh’s African Heritage Mass was celebrated Sunday, Aug. 24, at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama presided, and Father Marcos León offered the homily.

This annual Mass honors the gifts of the African ancestry communities in the Diocese of Raleigh, including African American, Caribbean and African migrant Catholics. This year’s celebration reflected the community’s rich diversity, with national flags carried in the entrance procession by elders and founding families, and prayers and music offered in multiple languages such as French, Igbo, Kikongo, Lingala and Swahili.