Father Charles Borromée Atangana never got back up. Vicar of Saint John the Baptist parish in Bipindi, in Cameroon's Océan department, he collapsed on the evening of Saturday, June 13, 2026, during a choir concert marking his parish's 75th anniversary. He died the following day at Kribi hospital.
Witnesses present that evening describe a man who appeared to be in good health moments before he fell ill, attentively following the performances of the invited choirs. Rushed to hospital, Father Atangana did not survive the night.
The chancellery of the Diocese of Kribi confirmed the death through Father Brice Miguel Mekena Mekongo, who invited the faithful to pray for the repose of his soul and for his family. No precise medical cause has been made public at this stage.
The priest's sudden death casts a shadow over a parish that was, that same weekend, celebrating three-quarters of a century of existence — a celebration turned into a wake.
