Leo XIV Appoints Madagaskar Bishop Practicing Local Blessing Rite "Mitso-drano"
He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Antananarivo on 3 August 2002. Pope Francis appointed him as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Morondava in 2023.
Theologian trained in Switzerland
Between 2011 and 2017, he completed a doctorate in Theology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. His thesis is entitled Volonté de 'Fihavanana': Une Comparaison avec l’Observance de la 'Berît' dans le Livre du Deutéronome (Will of 'Fihavanana': A Comparison with the Observance of the 'Berît' in the Book of Deuteronomy).
In it, he treats fihavanana (a Malagasy concept of harmony) as a parallel to the biblical covenant (berît), viewing it as a "way of expressing divine relationships".
He suggests that biblical interpretation in Madagascar should move directly from the Hebrew text to the Malagasy worldview without mediation through Greco-Latin or missionary traditions.
The thesis also explains indigenous Malagasy religion, which involves praying to a supreme being called Zanahary and invoking ancestors called Razana for blessings.
In 2022, Monsignor Rakotojaona taught Interreligious Dialogue at the Centre National de Formation Catéchétique in Antanimena.
Dual invocation of God and Ancestors
Following his ordination as a bishop, Monsignor Rakotojaona accepted the pagan blessing of mitso-drano at Morondava Cathedral. This was reported by the Catholic weekly Lakroan’i Madagasikara.
'Mitso-drano' literally means 'to sprinkle or pour water as a blessing'. Elders appeal to both Zanahary, the God, and the ancestors (razana) for cleansing and protection. Traditionally, an elder (such as a parent, grandparent, or clan elder) gives this blessing during significant life events such as departure, marriage, or assuming an important role.
A branch or green leaf (often of ravina hasina, a 'sacred plant') is used to sprinkle the water.
The person giving the blessing often wears a white cloth called a 'lamba fotsy'. The white cloth signifies that the elder is set apart for a sacred purpose. The person acts as a mediator between the visible world (tany) and the invisible realm (any an-danitra), including the heavens and the ancestral realm (razana).
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