The Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA) is planning to expand its work on the sub-continent by establishing a new diocese in war-torn Angola by the turn of the century.

A pilgrimage by the bishops of the Church, planned for mid-1999, will formalise the creation of the 24th diocese of the CPSA, signalling the completion of work first started in 1995 when the Church's provincial synod adopted a resolution to create a missionary diocese in Angola.

The decision to establish the new diocese was taken during the annual meeting of the Anglican Church's Provincial Standing Committee, being held at Modderpoort in the Free State.

Work in Angola since 1995 has progressed under the watchful eye of the Bishop of Lebombo in Mozambique, the Rt Revd Dinis Sengulane. In a report on the work in the country, Bishop Sengulane said that creating the new diocese was both a challenge and a privilege.

Noting the devastation caused by the war, the Bishop said:"God cannot be smiling as he looks at what human beings have done to one another and to his creation. Graves, ruins, carcasses, traumas and handicaps caused by the war. But we thank God that we can restore his smile in Angola for the Angolans."

Bishop Sengulane says that the Anglican Church is growing fast. On a recent visit he had 17,000 attending worship services - some had waited an entire week in the church after walking up to three days from their home villages.