Luciano Nervi SMM, Catholic Bishop of Mangochi died on Tuesday 8th March 2005. He had only been consecrated Bishop on 29 January this year. He first came to Malawi in 1970 and became Montfort Superior for Mangochi Diocese and vicar General of Bishop Emeritus Allesandro Assolari. He returned to Italy in 1987 but came back to Malawi at the age of 67 on his appointment as Bishop of Mangochi by Pope John Paul II. However when he died in Mwaiwathu Private Hospital he had served the Diocese as bishop for only 38 days.

Peter Nathaniel Nyanja, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Lake Malawi died one day later in Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe. He died from prostate cancer at the age of 65. In February 'Nkani Zaulere' reported that he had been taken to St Luke's Hospital in London last summer for radio therapy and made a remarkable recovery, returning to Malawi in September. However thereafter his condition again deteriorated and he died on Wednesday 9 March 2005. Peter Nyanja was ordained priest in 1972 and consecrated bishop in 1978. He is survived by his wife and nine children.