Nsenga is a Bantu language spoken by over 700,000 people mostly in eastern Zambia, but also in adjacent parts of Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

We present here two texts in Nsenga (called Chinsenga in both): an abridged Book of Common Prayer (BCP) issued in 1921, and a book of Occasional Offices from 1956. The BCP is listed in David Griffiths’s Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer 1549-1999 (London: The British Library; New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 2002) as 124:2, reissued 1927; Griffiths does not list the Occasional Offices book.

Both books show a strong Anglo-Catholic emphasis in its ceremonial, the use of the word Mass, and in various blessings and additional prayers and services not provided in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

The BCP is entirely in Nsenga, while in the Occasional Offices book, the liturgical texts are in Nsenga, but rubrics are in English—facilitating use by English-speaking missionary clergy and by others whose theological education was in English. The BCP has only selected Psalms, but does include the complete texts of the Collects, Epistles and Gospels.

The BCP is presented as PDF graphics with extractable text - see link at the bottom left. However, this text has not been proofread and will contain errors. The Occasional Offices are given as a series of HTML pages; links are in the Table of Contents, below right.

This service book was issued by authority of the Right Reverend Oliver Green-Wilkinson (1913-1970), who served as Bishop of Northern Rhodesia (1951-1970) and Archbishop of Central Africa (1962-1970).
 

MALOMBERO

A

PAMO

LONDON
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE
1921

OCCASIONAL OFFICES
(Malombelo a Kamo Kamo)

Authorized for use in the
DIOCESE OF NORTHERN RHODESIA

Translated into CHINSENGA as spoken in the
Mission District
of
U. M. C. A. MSORO
FORT JAMESON, N.R.

Nihil Obstat
+ Oliver N. Rhodesia
Lusaka, 1956
 

CHOLANGIZYA
INDEX

MALONBERO A MMAWA   1
    Morning Prayer
MALOMBERO A MCHINGULO   12
    Evening Prayer
MASALMO   19
    Selected Psalms
MALOMBERO A SIKU LONSE   32
MASENGERO A LIMO LIMO   38
    Prayers
I.ITANIA   43
    Litany
UKARISTIA UTUŴA   50
    Holy Communion
MALOMBERO A UKARISTIA   63
    Preparation for the Eucharist
TUMASENGERO, EPISTOLA NA EVANGELO   67
    Collects, Epistles & Gospels
BAPTIZO WA ŴANA   226
    Baptism of Infants
BAPTIZO WA AKURU   233
    Baptism of Adults
KUSINTILIWA MANJA   241
    Confirmation
KUTUWISYA NTENGO   245
    Holy Matrimony
KUSANZYANA KWA ALWELE   254
    Communion of the Sick
KlTWIKA AKUFWA   255
    Burial of the Dead
KUYAMIKA ŴANA   263
    Churching of Women
PA NSITA YOSAMBIZYA ANAFUNZI   266

Download or read the 1921 Chinsenga / Nsenga Book of Common Prayer (size=27MB)

INDEX.
(Colangizya.)

The Making of Catechumens.
Kupeleka Msalaba. 5-6

The Anointing of Catechumens.
Kuzoleka Anafunzi. 7-10

Scrutinies in preparation for Holy Baptism.
Makonsyo kwa Anafunzi Ŵosaluliwa. 11-15

Holy Baptism of Adults.
Ubatizo wa Akulu. 15-20

Holy Baptism of Infants.
Ubatizo wa ŵana. 20-26

The Order of Confirmation.
Kusintilila Manja. 26-30

Holy Matrimony.
Ntengo ya Mcinzi. 30-38

The Churching of Women.
Mayamiko a Mwanakazi pavuli popapa mwana. 38-41

The Visitation of the Sick.
Mayonzyelo a Alwele. 41-43

The Anointing of the Sick.
Kuzoleka Alwele. 43-45

The Communion of the Sick.
Kutwala Ukaristiya kwa Alwele. 45

The Commendation of the Dying.
Kupeleka mzimu wa akufwa kwa Mlungu. 45-46

Baptism in Extremis.
Ubatizo wa muntu ali pafupi kufwa. 47-48

Reception into the Congregation of the Church.
Malizu osilizya Ubatizo mChurch. 48-52

The Burial of the Dead.
Kuŵaŵika Akufa. 52-59

The Burial of an Unbaptized Person.
Malombelo a aŵo omvwila Mlungu, amene ofwila kunja kwa Eklezya. 59-60.