27 • MARCH 2019
orthodox mission QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE ORTHODOX MISSIONARY FRATERNITY
orthodox mission
Founded in 1963 Honored by the Patriarchate of Alexandria #27 - January-March 2019 Editor: Nostis Psarras
Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
In this issue 04 Annual Report 2018 06 Receipts & Payments 2018 07 India 08 Pacific Islands 11 Indonesia 12 Ivory Coast 16 Congo (DRC) - Katanga 19 Nigeria 26 Kenya 30 Uganda - Kampala 32 Tanzania - Arusha 35 Sierra Leone 36 Visit to Congo-Brazzaville 37 New Metropolises and Bishoprics 42 Letter from Uganda 43 Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos 46 Patriarch Theodore at Filyro You can give your love for the Orthodox Missions abroad via Paypal at paypal@ierapostoles.gr, by check or by deposit in our bank account:
ALPHA BANK • ΙΒΑΝ: GR93 0140 4050 4050 0200 2000 170 • BIC: CRBAGRAA Other bank accounts: omf.gr/ways-give/ An ofiicial receipt for your donation will be issued and mailed to you.
Authors are responsible for their own articles.
Owner:
Orthodox Missionary Fraternity 6, Mackenzie King st., Hagia Sophia sq. 546 22 Thessaloniki, Greece 2310 279910, fax. 2310 279902
https://orthodoxmission.org.gr communications @orthodoxmission.org.gr Registered Charitable Association Spiritual founder: Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos (1903-1972) Founding president: Pantelis Bayas Great Benefactor: Panagiotis Papademetracopoulos Honorary president: Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and all Africa
Board of Directors Charalampos Metallidis President Nostis Psarras Vice president Angeliki Arnaouti Secretary General Dimitrios Sotirkos Τreasurer Constantinos Metallidis Secretary Asst Zenobios Iatrou Treasurer Asst Evangelia Traikoudi Member Aikaterini Alexandrou Member
Prodromos Kalaitzidis Member
License
Distributed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 license. Similarly licensed works of the following authors were used in the respective pages:
4 Ray in Manila 6 Gabrielle Ludow 8 Wendi Halet 19 Ray in Manila 26 Tom Jutte 32 Daniel Ramirez 42 Alex Berger 44 Alex Berger
Holy Pascha 2019 Χριστός Ανέστη • Christ is Risen • Христос воскрес! ¡Cristo ha resucitado! • Le Christ est ressuscité! • Kristo Amefufukka! Kristus telah bangkit! • Na Karisito tucake tale! • A Cristo ix pitz vi xi!
Annual Activity Report of the Board Dear Mission Friends & Supporters, The Annual Activity Report is not an account of our own actions and efforts, but it is your account, material as well as spiritual. We just directed everything you gave us according to the needs that arose in each missionary division. Each one of you gave what they could, supporting all the kids in the world who are suffering for a plate of food and some clean water. The Fraternity Board would like to thank you wholeheartedly not only for not closing the door to your fellow man, your neighbor, the near and the distant one, but also for your total man-centered dedication to the suffering fellow man. May the grace and joy of the Good God be with you. Despite the economic downturn and the daily drain on the Greeks’ financial resources, the Fraternity managed to raise the amount of € 625,460.78.
4. India: € 36,572.00 5. Brazzaville: € 35,650.00 6. Indonesia: € 35.500,00 7. Kinshasa: € 21,650.00 8. Madagascar: € 20,685.00 9. Guinea: € 15,932.00 10. Accra: € 15.600,00 11. Rwanda: € 15.600,00 12. Irinoupolis: € 14,250.00 13. Malawi: € 9.250,00 14. Uganda: € 8,050.00 15. Nigeria: € 7.146,00 16. Nairobi: € 6.000,00 17. Zambia: € 5.000,00 18. Kissoumou: € 4,000.00 19. Sierra Leone: € 3,210.00 20. New Zealand: € 2,560.50 21. Haiti: € 2.300,00 22. Nyeri: € 2,000.00 Total: 422,185.50 euro
Humanitarian aid With the help of God and of the young people who loved the command of the Lord «Go ye therefore to the ends of the earth» and who are the future of this world, the Remittances We provided financial assistance to continuity of the Fraternity, seven the following missionary divisions: shipping containers were loaded with 170 tons of humanitarian aid, 1. Arusha: € 60,250.00 such as various food items as well as 2. Cameroon: € 58,130.00 equipment for the mission centers. 3. Katanga: € 42,850.00 4
of Directors for the Year 2018 of Cameroon and current Bishop of Toliara, Madagascar), Bishop Agathonikos of Arusha, Metropolitan Alexandros of Nigeria, Metropolitan Innocentios of Burundi and Rwanda, Metropolitan Demetrios of Irinoupolis, , Metropolitan Ignatios of Madagascar, Metropolitan Nikiphoros of Kinshasa. Brothers in Christ, companions and associates, Mission belongs to the Church; it is the offering of Christ for the salvation of mankind. His Gospel is addressed to all peoples in any width and length and color and culture Dear Brothers in Christ, friends of in the world. It is not confined to a small field of action but spreads the poor of this world, Mission is not directed by us, and embraces lovingly and rescues but it walks along with its history, the whole Universe. The radiation following the way that was paved by of Mission was not only a duty of holy, Spirit - driven people, such as the generation of the Apostles but our founder Father Chrysostomos a duty of Christians of all ages. The Papasarantopoulos, on the strong purpose of Mission is to proclaim foundations of the One, Holy, Cath- the Gospel «in all the world for a olic and Missionary Church. In 2018 witness unto all nations”, for « And at the monthly meetings of our Fra- other sheep I have, which are not of ternity we had the pleasure of host- this fold: them also I must bring, and ing metropolitans and bishops of they shall hear my voice; and there various missionary divisions in the shall be one fold, and one shepherd”. following order: Metropolitan NarCharalambos Metallides cissus of Accra, Fr. Prodromos KatBoard President soulis (then Chancellor of the H.M. This loving contribution of yours was delivered to the missionary divisions of Guinea, Kinshasa, Malawi and Sierra Leone. Liturgical translations The Fraternity continues to finance the publication of liturgical books in native languages. Our door is open and our interest in the translation material great, thus we urge the missionaries to promote this project. This year, we supported the publication of a new translation of the New Testament into the Malagasy language.
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Financial Statement 2018 I. CREDITS
Α.
CASH AT THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR 2018
219.372,99 €
Β.
FISCAL YEAR REVENUES
Ǧ
598.476,93 € 542.996,40 € 54.243,00 € 156,82 € 1.080,71 € 15.553,85 € 11.430,00 € 625.460,78 €
C. D.
PREVIOUS YEARS RECEIPTS FOLLOWING YEARS RECEIPTS TOTAL RECEIPTS IN 2018
TOTAL CREDITS II. DEBITS
Α.
FISCAL YEAR EXPENSES MISSIONARY EXPENSES
Remittances to missionary divisions
FISCAL YEAR PURCHASES PREVIOUS YEAR EXPENSES
TOTAL PAYMENTS IN 2018
655.510,18 €
CASH AT THE END OF FISCLA YEAR 2018
189.323,59 €
In-kind aid to missionary divisions
D.
Ǧ Ǧ Ƭ
TOTAL DEBITS 6
639.324,09 € 534.254,33 € 422.185,50 € 4.615,90 € 107.452,93 € 52.337,40 € 1.443,18 € 16.228,34 € 4.984,26 € 3.490,01 € 244,66 € 344,04 € 560.252,20 € 74,00 € 443,33 € 2.670,01 € 2.259,37 € 2.360,79 € 14.004,76 € 618,14 € 148,80 € 3.418,67 € 3.022,31 € 13.163,78 €
Charitable grants
Β. C.
844.833,77 €
844.833,77 €
INDIA
Continuous praise Dear Friends of Mission, Your god-sent donation came as a gift from the heavens, so valuable and necessary that you cannot possibly imagine, giving us a breath of life and courage for the continuation of our struggle. I have no words to express my feelings of deep gratitude to the Fraternity, which still helps and sustains the work of God that is being done in India by His own grace. I wholeheartedly pray that our Lord grants everyone health of both body and mind so that your Fraternity will devotedly and conscientiously continue its great missionary work, which is so God-pleasing. Above all, I ask for your prayers, so that God can support us and bless our humble effort in this Country
where He has ordained us to offer our ministry, for let us not forget: ÂŤExcept the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build itÂť. My soul glorifies and thanks God Almighty for His love and Providence for His children in India, which is something revealed to us in a miraculous way every day. So now, while I was making calculations and plans agonizing about how we could manage to cope with the current economic circumstances, the donation from your Fraternity came like manna from heaven. A mere thank you is not enough to describe our infinite gratitude. May God keep you well and bless you with good health and the richness of His grace. Sister Nectaria 7
PACIFIC ISLANDS
The Orthodox Mission in the Pacific
At Christchurch, in the context of my first informative episcopal journey, I met Kyriakos, a person with rational thinking, businessman, energetic and active member of the local Greek Orthodox community, who spends a considerable amount of his own personal time participating in civic life, providing aid and assistance. In his own straightforward way he gave a vivid description of the exceptional experience he had when he met with the former Metropolitan of New Zealand and current Metropolitan of Ganou and Chora His Eminence Amphilochios and heard from his own lips about his thoughts and plans for the beginning of the missionary effort on the
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islands of the Pacific Ocean. He was listening to the Elder with great care and respect and was trying to understand his thoughts. He only listened and would not speak until the end. If he spoke with the square logic that characterizes him, he would tell the Elder that his vision, that venture he had in mind, was practically impossible, since for its implementation it would require enormous financial as well as human resources, specialized work, mechanics, jurists, and so on, and the Elder had nothing but the cassock he was wearing. Kyriakos thought that because of his advanced age the Elder was ÂŤlosing itÂť and was not able to think logically. The Elder left determined to
pursue his vision. Time passed and Kyriakos traveled to Fiji on business. He went to have a close look at all those things that until then he had only heard about. And O Lord! What did he actually see? A most beauteous and clean Church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, standing there as a white dove in the green rural landscape of the island. From there he could hear beautiful byzantine ecclesiastical hymns of reverence sung in Greek out of the mouths of the young children of the Orphanage and of local Fijian nuns (Sisters Melania and Anysia) in a way that many people would envy. He started watching them. He enjoyed what he was listening and did not want to finish what he was living. The Divine Liturgy was
about to finish, though. 30 children and all attendees responded to the call of the officiating priest Fr. Bartholomew, «Approach with the fear of God, faith, and love.” Eveyone without exception partook of the Holy Communion. Only Kyriakos stood in a corner dumbfounded and stunned by what he was experiencing. As soon as they came out of the church, the peaceful and full of reverence atmosphere of the service gave way to smiling faces and to the happy sounds of children’s voices. Joy was obvious on their faces, in their movements, in their speech, in their behavior towards the others. Kyriakos gave them four balls, two for football and two for rugby, which he had brought for them. It is practically impossible to describe
Baptisms in Fiji by His Eminence bishop Amphilochios
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their joy for these little presents. Before long the whole place was filled with children running, playing, having fun; trustful children feeling safe and secure, knowing that they were surrounded by people who loved them and cared for them. They thanked him in a very polite and mature way, with beautiful words in Greek. However, what pleased Kyriakos the most was their smile and the expression of their joy. “This state of existence is rare in our western rationalistic societies”, he thought to himself. We do not teach our children how to be truly happy, how to live and enjoy life. Kyriakos also visited the monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the Safe Home, the guesthouse of the older boys. He was enthused, touched, and felt deep
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inside the nature and importance of the work of the Church, her role, her mission in the world. He regretfully remembered his former reserved attitude to the Elder’s dream, and tears came to his eyes. He went to buy a big amount of food, new beds and mattresses and lots of toys for the children. He wanted to contribute himself and feel like a member of this joyful community. Since then his respect, gratitude and admiration for Elder Amphilochios and the accomplished work have been evident and continuous and the only words he has been saying are words of gratitude and admiration. Finally, he has been encouraging all of us to continue and enhance the great, God-pleasing and «crazy» vision of Elder Amphilochios. † Bishop Myron of New Zealand
Consecration of the Holy Trinity church in Fiji
INDONESIA
Planting the Seeds of Knowledge in Timor Dear Friends of the Mission, This year we spent the holy Christmas days with devout reverence in all our parish communities. God permitting, next year we will be gathered all together in a large hall room, where we will celebrate with representatives from each community. I received your 15,000-euro assistance for the Theotokos Hospital, donated by Fr. Nicholas Marketos and other donors from Sydney, Australia, and I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for that. As I have repeatedly mentioned, Savvas Marcelino from Timor studied at the St. Paul Theological School and made the decision to become a priest. On August 24, 2018, he was ordained elder. What a great blessing for us! Now
he has returned to Timor to disseminate the light of Orthodoxy. As you know, the education sector is the one we developed from the beginning, and it is this very sector that helped us reach out to thousands of young people who got interested in Orthodoxy and were eventually baptized into our Church. For Orthodoxy to take root and grow in Timor, we must build a school there as well to teach and preach the word of God to the young children. In order to be able to realize this project, we are making an appeal to you, as the amount required is estimated at around 50,000 euro. We have faith and hope in your loving heart so that this vision of ours comes true as well. Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu 11
GHANA
Patriarchal Journey to Ivory Coast (Part b)
For the first time in the twothousand-year presence of the Apostolic Throne of the Alexandrian Church, the country of Ivory Coast was visited by His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch, Venerable Shepherd and Father of all the Orthodox Christians throughout Africa. Frantic preparations were made for the distinguished visitor. Everyone was in anticipation of his visit, from the senior government officials of this hospitable country to the simple faithful people, who saw and heard the Shepherd’s voice. An unprecedented welcome to this historic visit, This Monday, November 5, 2018, will be unforgettable for the local Church. The distance and the difficulties in traveling did not prevent the faithful 12
from setting off from far–off regions of the country to take the Patriarch’s blessing. On the first day of the Venerable Shepherd’s stay, one could see the obvious joy in the people’s eyes. Amidst them they had the Father, who, from the red carpet laid out for his reception, continued to walk where the people’s daily routine and real life was with all its needs and difficulties. Who will be left untouched by the picture of the next day, the 6th of November, when at the Cathedral of the Lord’s Resurrection, in the capital city of the state of Abidjan, there was a real Paschal atmosphere with the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, the pious clergy ministering to this field of God, offering their best spiritual
services, unselfishly and sacrificially, along with their loyal volunteer associates, to their faithful flock? The Patriarch of Love marveled at the faith of these people, who participated in the Bloodless Sacrifice, and who so beautifully and angelically rendered the hymns of praise, by taking down to earth the heavens with the Angels. This celebration continued with the young men and women and the Women’s Association, who, dressed in traditional costumes in their country’s colors, danced and sang, presenting their own cultural values. Perhaps words are too poor to express what one sees being accomplished, first in the souls of these people who learn about the true God of Love, Peace and Free-
dom, and then in all the necessary infrastructure projects, which are meant for young people’s education through school reconstruction and for the relief of human pain through the erection of medical centers and healthcare clinics. In this work, of course, one could not possibly overlook the contribution of some great Mission friends and supporters, such as the Coyo family of Silvestro and Flora, whom we thank wholeheartedly for the donation of a plot of land, where a church, a school, a medical center and a healthcare clinic will be built in order to meet some spiritual as well as social needs of the Metropolis. Another major supporter is the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, which has always stood by our side,
Group baptisms
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In our Orthodox school funding the great projects of Mis- out to his children, the Gospel of sion in Africa and around the world. Christ is realized in this place and does not only stay in words. And for We are grateful to them as well. The greatest emotion was felt love to be true, it requires sacrifices by all when the Mission Patriarch and deprivations. It is noteworthy that during kneeled and laid the Foundation Stone for the erection of the new the visit of His Beatitude to the Mission Center in the city of Akorre’, Presidential Palace of the country, which will include a Church, a the Venerable Shepherd received a School and a Medical Clinic. In very warm welcome from the Pressuch a God-pleasing project, the Pa- ident-in-Office of the Republic, triarch, as the First among the Mis- where there was a very fruitful dissionaries, and the capable partners cussion on Mission issues and the who assist him, realize his great vi- presence of the Patriarchate in this sion which becomes true, first with beautiful country and the assurthe projects for the spiritual growth ance on the part of the vice presiof these people’s souls, and then dent that the state would always be with the material infrastructure a helper in all the activities of the projects, so that there will be no Orthodox Church, which is highone left unaware of Christ, no one ly appreciated by everyone in that left hungry, naked, sick, or home- country, from the simple people less. And as His Beatitude pointed up to the high ranking political of14
ficials, for the work that has been done so far. Among the country’s politicians who visited His Beatitude were the Ministers for the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Environment, the Secretaries-General of the Presidency and other Ministries, as well as the Ambassadors of Lebanon, Russia, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, the Papal Nuncio and Coptic Priests. The moment of departure finally arrived. The joy of this great visit to Ivory Coast will be engraved in the history of this place. The President-in-Office of the Republic, himself, accompanied His Beatitude to the airport. The whole body of clergymen
bid farewell and saw off the Shepherd and Father, drawing power from this presence, mainly by taking his blessing for the continuation of the missionary work. And the Patriarch of Love, Prayer, Peace, Reconciliation, Sacrifice, who knows better than anyone what Mission means, blessed this country and the work done in the name of the Lord. This visit and the words of his love will remain engraved in the hearts of those people who saw him, heard him and received his blessing, as they know that along with the foundation stone, their Shepherd also laid his own heart on this beautiful country of Ivory Coast. †Bishop Narcissus of Accra
Blessing a new drilling project
15
CONGO (DRC) - Katanga
Life in Africa during the Great Lent
Experiencing the unique and unparalleled events of our Lord’s Passion in Church every year, gives us the chance to come closer to Him, makes us bend low before the magnitude of His love, and gives us new possibilities to fight and approach Him. Anyone who is familiar with the monastic practices and life of Mount Athos, marvels at the fact that the monks, far from getting tired of the repetitive and sometimes exhausting services, they in fact seem to be (and truly are) inspired by them, thus engaging even more in this ascetic life and experience. It has been years since the Grace of God brought us to the African land to help the thirsty and 16
troubled people of God. At one time, in a monastic assembly, my Elder- late Fr. George- said to me, ÂŤI also benefit from my interaction with the Christians who approach me, ask me questions and confessÂť. It is indeed true that the Grace of God is pervasive; it is evident in the souls that are struggling and seeking their salvation, and we have a lot to say about this. I see the struggle of our dark-skinned brothers and I not only marvel at it, but I am also inspired to engage in greater spiritual struggle. Thus we entered this holy period of the blessed Triodion and the Sunday of Forgiveness, and we immediately discerned the fighting spirit and the good thoughts of our
Christians. We announced to them the schedule of the worship services and from Ash Monday morning, half an hour earlier than usual, we started to read the Matins, the First and the Ninth Hour, the Vespers and the Great Compline. Plenty of faithful appeared for the sacred services, and once they got acquainted with them, they made prostrations just like the early Christians and attended the whole service with devout reverence. These people came to church consistently and unfailingly, which was indicative of their noble, sacrificial spirit. After the first week I started going out of the Mission Center morning and afternoon for the conduction of either the worship services or the Divine Liturgy, but
mainly in order to boost the morale of our Christian brothers and sisters and teach them and motivate them to engage in spiritual struggles. I eventually found out that most of our Christians were not unaware of the meaning of spiritual struggle, and that their participation in the church services and in chanting showed that they had an ecclesiastical and liturgical spirit. In some parishes their enthusiasm was intense without being excessive, but measured and attentive. They asked for a spiritual father to perform the Sacrament of Confession and a theologian to teach them more about spiritual life. At St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Katanga, I saw that they knew how to chant with precision and accuracy the Ninth Hour, the
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Vespers, the Pre-sanctified Divine Liturgy, the Holy Communion, and many others. This year I was given the chance to go to distant Kalemie on Lake Tanganyika, where in 1970 the Greeks built a beautiful church dedicated to Saint Nicholas. There I received a warm welcome. The enthusiastic crowd was persistently asking to hear a word of God, and their fervent zeal and genuine love for our true holy Church became apparent the next day in the Divine Liturgy. I was really wondering what could possibly have motivated them so much and they were so spiritual, and subsequently I found out that Fr. Z. and their current priest Fr. Andronikos had done a great job and
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had illuminated the flock quite well on many ecclesiastical issues. The Holy Week was the pinnacle of liturgical life, which we experienced intensely throughout the holy period from Palm Sunday until the glorious Resurrection of our Lord, despite the adverse weather conditions with heavy rainfall. Until 10pm before the Resurrection Service, it had been raining fiercely and continuously. In the Vespers of Love at St. George’s Church in Kolwezi, the congregation was far beyond expectation. We gave out 1,800 red-dyed eggs and we all praised and glorified God Almighty, whogranted toussuch days, overflowing with spirituality. †Bishop Meletios of Katanga
NIGERIA
Missionary Journey in Central Nigeria It was the Grace of God that ultimately led our steps to Central Nigeria, specifically to Benue State. For more than two and a half years the region was much afflicted by the descent and invasion of the Muslim nomads that belong to the Fulani tribe of Northern Nigeria. Seeking fertile land for their large herds, they were directed to this area. Their herds caused huge damage to the regional agricultural production, resulting in bloody conflicts. Hundreds of people lost their lives, whole villages vanished, populations had to move away to be saved. Some of our parish communities suffered serious damage and mourned victims. With consistent self-denial, personal sacrifices, privation and defying the dangers, the two
priests who serve in the region and their catechist assistants continued the work of evangelism, working, preaching and baptizing new members. Our journey lasted seven days and was a real revelation. The 5 parish communities have grown to 19 and the number of catechists to 20. The first major stop was the new Saint Anthony parish. There gathered many believers from neighboring parishes as well. The church is a brick-built structure, low, cozy and humble. Next to it stands an incomplete building, the new church without a roof, with huge windows due to the great heat of the area. This church was made thanks to these simple poor peasants, who, despite coming from one of the poorest and least developed states of the country, gave out of their 19
need. A few meters away stands unfinished the presbytery and mission center. The people warm, enthusiastic. Like the faithful of other new parishes, they were anxious to meet their bishop for the first time. Unfortunately, there are “irregular� groups in the region led by defrocked Roman-Catholic priests, who claim to be Orthodox, causing confusion in our flock, which made our brothers’ desire to meet their Spiritual Shepherd even stronger. Among those present were local rulers, tribal chiefs, mayors, and many others. We prayed together and looked around the spaces and the land that they intend to cede to us if there is a possibility for development on our part. Their main requests are: a school, drinking water, completion of the church. The second great stop was the new St. Stephen parish. Here we
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saw an old building with many deficiencies and need not only for major repairs but also for a permanent priest. A large number of faithful gathered and patiently waited for the first Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in this new parish. They welcomed us with open arms and enthusiasm accompanied by dance and joyful voices. Their relief that they were not alone was more than obvious. The Divine Liturgy under a terrible heat was yet a surprise. The church choirs, one in their local language (tiv) and a youth one in English, sang the worship hymns according to their own musical idiom. It is indeed a great pleasure to see the gospel of Christ and His Church embodied in the cultural flesh of each tribe. Dozens of faithful partook of the Holy Communion with fear of God and emotion. After the dismissal, there were once again dance
performances and addresses and responses. Present were the tribal chiefs as well as local government representatives. Once more we heard the same requests for drinking water, for a school, for the repair of the church, for icons, vessels, and many others. There was one last request for peaceful coexistence with the other Churches and religions and for collaboration with them regarding humanitarian and social issues. On the way back we stopped at the neighboring Saint Andrew parish. The church was a very old structure, situated amidst vast orange groves in utter peace and tranquility. Some parishioners were waiting for us and eagerly showed us around their places, talked about their efforts and their plans and asked us to remember them and
support them. The third major stop was Karmen village, the parish of Christ, where, with the help of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, the first building of our school was built. Present were the 300 students, teachers, dozens of faithful, local rulers and a delegation of middle school students of the Anglican Church. The small students had prepared a great celebration including traditional dances, poems, sketches, addresses. We admired the work done by the local priest, the catechists and of course, the teachers. As was the case with our other stops, here, too, we were offered the traditional attire, which is regarded as the highest honor for a stranger. With this ÂŤapparelÂť, they formally recognize you as a member 21
of their tribe. At the end of the feast, we prayed for their children and teachers, for the school donors, for all those who support the missionary work in this area, there in the mountains of Benue State, behind which one can see Cameroon. We looked around the school and saw the damage caused by the Muslim nomads and the conflicts. Wrecked windows and doors; even the floor of several classrooms was badly damaged. The frustration of the moment gave way to the certainty, the belief that the Lord would pave the way not only for the repair of the damage caused, but also for the school expansion. From there we headed to Saint Charalambos Church in Adikpo
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parish, where there is a beautiful church built thanks to a donation made by a couple from Heraklion, Crete. We met with the priest, the catechists and the people who were patiently waiting for us. And here we prayed together, heard their problems and their requests. Despite the late hour, we set off for the next stop, which was the new parish of Archangel Michael, in a poor village amidst the farms. Next to the hut used as a church we were warmly received by a large crowd of people. People tired, worn out, with obvious signs of deprivation on their faces and clothes. Our one-hour conversation and acquaintance with them was warm and cordial. As it happened with the previous par-
Bishop Alexander at our Orthodox school
Archangel Michael church
ishes, our brothers here expressed a request for access to clean drinking water, which, if realized, will stop their long journeys before they get some not so clean water. Among these visits, we had the opportunity to meet and discuss at length with parish councils, priests and catechists. We had to listen to their problems in their real dimensions, talk to the catechists, instruct them, strengthen them, but above all (to) become partakers of the challenges they face in their ministry. After 18 hours of travel, through damaged roads, we returned to the Metropolitan See in Lagos with mixed emotions of surprise and joy for all the wonderful things that the Lord does there with the workers of
His Gospel. However, the concern for the next day is also intense. How can we fix the churches? How can we offer water to these people? How can we strengthen and support our Catechists? How can we provide for at least three more clerics that we need to ordain? Where will these people live? How will they be able to move? How will we be able to carry out the seminars for the Catechists? And how many more! We lay all these on the feet of the Triune God, the very “senderÂť, deeply praying for the blessing of these efforts and for the support of all those working for the revelation of His Kingdom in this corner of the earth. †Bishop Alexander of Nigeria 23
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KENYA - Nairobi
A Special Christmas: God’s Presence to the Children of our Poor Neighborhood The Nativity of Christ, King and Master of the universe, is an awesome event that truly overwhelms every faithful Christian. God, through His immeasurable and unlimited love to the people who He Himself created, came from heaven to earth. He took flesh and became human so that all of us who are here on earth can become like Him and be sanctified. By His coming down to the earth, His abundant grace spread all over the world and man was regenerated, re-created, and became spiritually enriched. Christmas is a day of gladness and joy for all people of all ages. His descent from heaven shows His infinite and incomprehensible humility. 26
And here in Africa, like every year, we turned our attention to little children, these innocent and pure creatures who have every right to taste this joy of the Nativity of our Savior. It was a very special and joyous day. Our hearts opened wide and we offered all the children of our poor neighborhood a rich Christmas meal along with a gift, like dolls, toy cars, balloons and many others. These kids had never had the chance to be given such “valuable” gifts before! Imagine that even the older children were asking for a doll. And when I asked them why, they answered that when they were still small, they did not have the chance to hug and hold a doll in
their arms!! All these little children, living under harsh conditions and facing a lot of family problems, were able to taste something different at least for one day, that of Christmas, and understand that we are all a large family with a deep sense of affection and solidarity. How much happiness filled their pure hearts that Christmas day! There was a special joy on their faces and their smile was wide and lasting, which showed how much they had enjoyed the whole event. I wanted to be close to them
because I knew in advance the stories of their lives, since most children came from our own kindergarten and elementary school. Stories which, compared with our own standards, are totally unrealistic, or seem to have come out of a novel!! These children were also joined by a group of former street children, along with the local MP, near the Kibera slum. The MP himself trusted me with his secret: he as well was a young child belonging to this category. He tasted all the pain and deprivation one experiences living under such terrible conditions. He
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described his life in short, that is, how he was born and found not to know anyone in this world after being thrown into a trash bin. Someone found him by chance, picked him up and took him to one of the centers that pick up homeless children from the streets. And so he grew up through traumatic experiences (here I have to note that a few years before, I had visited this center myself and had helped as much as I could). He remembered that a European priest with a long beard had visited them and had strengthened them. When he heard that the same program was still running and mentioned to one of our mission people my name, which he hadn’t 28
forgotten, he asked to bring the street children here as a politician. They came and shared with us that rich Christmas meal. It was such an emotional scene that it could not be easily described because now the heart of the politician, seeing so many unprotected children enjoying so much that Christmas meal, was filled with even greater joy, as he remembered how difficult his childhood years were when he was a street child himself and made every possible effort to find something to eat in the garbage, or even steal some food. This Christmas event and its joyous messages were the main topic for three consecutive days in the news bulletins of the state televi-
sion... All the people were delighted to hear that the Orthodox Church wanted to gather so many souls and offer these small creatures a hot meal so that they would feel happy for a little while like the rest of the people; and more important, so that they would feel that they also belonged to the rich world of creation and had every right to enjoy its goods along with all the others. A move of love from our Church in the mission field changed the life setting of these little children. It gave them the meaning and the value which they also have as images
of the same God and Creator, Who, through the vastness of His merciful love, embraces both the visible and the invisible world. He came to earth, “was made man so that we might be made God”, all of us indiscriminately, regardless of colors, origins, or cultures. Under these circumstances man can discover himself, that is, his identity and his very existence. Thus, he will be able to live peacefully and experience the greatness that comes out of God’s love for mankind. † Bishop Makarios of Nairobi
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UGANDA - Kampala
A New Start for the Mission Dear Mission Friends & Supporters, Deeply touched, we thank, praise and glorify the Almighty God for all the goods you have offered to our Ugandan Province as well as for all your accomplishments on this land in the last twenty years. Similarly, on behalf of all the associates, clergy and members of the body of Christ here, we thank the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, particularly the donors -male and female- as well as the honorable members of the Board of Directors, for the continued moral, financial as well as spiritual support of the missionary work carried out in Uganda. We assure you that mainly thanks to 30
your brotherly care and support, we managed to create the second Holy Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda, where the first bishop was appointed by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. That was His Grace Bishop Sylvester (born Maximus Kisitu), a fine, beloved and genuine child of the Orthodox Church of Uganda. In this new situation, the Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda comprises 30 priests, 19 churches (regional, 7 of which have been consecrated), 8 Primary schools, 6 Middle Schools, 5 High Schools and 6 Medical Clinics. The Holy Diocese of Kampala, Central and Western
Uganda comprises 47 priests, 36 churches (regional, 17 of which have been consecrated), 22 Primary Schools, 12 Middle Schools, 8 High Schools and 12 Medical Clinics. Almost all of these schools have plain facilities found in girls’ and boys’ boarding schools, and halls rooms for events organized by the studying youth. As you can easily understand, the new Holy Diocese will have plenty of shortcomings and needs, many of which are very urgent, while the old Diocese is trying to expand to the west, where Orthodoxy has not dared to go for so many years.
For this reason, we are making an earnest appeal to your kind heart for support and assistance with all of your strength and enthusiasm, thus contributing to the expansion of this God-pleasing work, since we cannot forget that you have been from the very start the real “Friends of Uganda”. May our Lord Jesus Christ and Savior, the One progressively revealing to us through the Holy Spirit the eternal mystery of God, bless the preaching of Orthodoxy in Uganda and all over the African continent. † Bishop Jonah of Kampala
Ugandan Orthodox school, funded by our Fraternity
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TANZANIA - Arusha
The temptation of numbers I remember many years ago, when I was a teacher, the hardest subject for me to teach was Practical Arithmetics. My difficulty in this subject derived from the /necessity to solve arithmetic problems without using equations, which would make their solution easy, but with ways that would make sense and be readily accessible to children’s understanding. This difficulty was something I had to encounter again in Africa many years later! In the Black Continent, it is imperative that you instill the Doctrines and the truths of our Holy Faith and Tradition, without errors or discounts but adapted to the sentiment and mentality of our African siblings. This, in conjunction with the fact that the thought and
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awareness of Christianity have already been formed by Protestant and Papal practices, make it even more difficult to instill the values of Orthodox Evangelism. Besides that, assimilating the Gospel is hindered by the high illiteracy rates among the African natives living in the villages, away from cities. To make matters worse, this condition is burdened by primitive prejudices which they maintain, such as obsession with the worship of spirits, witchcraft, polygamy, drunkenness and many others. However, despite all these obstacles that need to be overcome, there is a positive side as well. To their credit, these people are pure, innocent, often naive, enthusiastic, simple-hearted and optimistic. A missionary needs to have
large reserves of patience, faith, prayer and love to be able to overcome the human difficulties that he encounters every day, and above all, the sadness caused by the realization that in every step he takes, he will stumble upon another different «church», all of which spring up like mushrooms in the fertile land of Africa every day. Could it be the fault of the Orthodox world, who has neglected the evangelization of the Africans for so many centuries, or was that negligence of our God’s will as the African peoples were not yet ready to accept Orthodoxy? And now that at last the time has come, where are
the workers for the sowing? Besides, the realization that nowadays the Orthodox are divided between them, frustrates us even more because it proves that after so many centuries of Christianity and against the message of the Evangelical Ministry, we are still striving to find ways to dominate others, either by trying to prove that we are more orthodox than them, or by pointing out our numerical strength, once again in contrast to the evangelical excerpt: « Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). We read in the Second Book of Kings chapter 24 that once David
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infuriated God, for he ordered his general named Joab to count his fighting men. Suddenly, however, David felt remorse for he had a guilty conscience due to the census he had asked for, and said to the Lord, “I committed a great sin with what I did! I admit that it was a very foolish thing to believe that I defeated my enemies with the power of my weapons and not with Your help. Lord, I beg you to take away my guilt and forgive Your servant’s sin”. Then the Lord sent a plague on Israel, which killed 70,000 people. St. Porphyrius taught us that Mission does not need many words but setting an example. He insisted that we should live simply
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and gently, practice learning to listen more and speak less, respect every single form of existence, not exercise any pressure upon people, for above all, God respects our freedom. We should be able to overcome the temptation of victory and that of numbers, for the latter is what infuriates God more than anything. The Gospel of Christ is costly to man» Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14). Forgive, O Lord, our pettiness, and do not keep Your grace from protecting Your people because of our selfishness. Amen! † Bishop Agathonikos of Arusha
SIERRA LEONE
Appeal for Humanitarian Aid Dear Brethren, May the blessing of the Lord be upon the Board of Directors and the members of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. I apologize for being late in contacting you but I know that my long silence will be forgiven by your kindness. On behalf of the Sierra Leone missionary division I would like to express our great desire to receive a new container with humanitarian aid in/for the current year 2019. I believe your affectionate, loving heart will respond to this request. My deep gratitude to your philanthropic feelings is present in this
message and a big “thank youÂť is the least I can say to express my sincere appreciation for your brotherly love and support. The container should include basic food items, such as rice, oil, sugar, salt, canned food, tomato paste, flour and others. I would like to thank you once again for your care and concern for the orphaned and hungry children of our school in Waterloo. The missionary effort of the Orthodox Church in Sierra Leone runs through faith, perplexed, but not in despair. With respect in Christ, Fr. Themistoklis Adamopoulos 35
Patriarchal Visit to Congo-Brazzaville His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria visited the Holy Metropolis of Brazzaville and Gabon last February. During his short stay in the state of Congo, he celebrated in Pointe-Noire the consecration of St. Demetrius Church, whose rebuilding and completion was also funded by the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. It is exactly 35 years after the baptism of the first 65 Orthodox Congolese by the late Metropolitan Timothy of Central Africa that this stately Cathedral was consecrated in order to mark the stability which the Orthodox presence has gained in this country over the years, testified through the sacred churches, the venerable Priesthood, the devout catechists and the radio station «The Voice of Orthodoxy», a project funded by our Fraternity. The Patriarch of Alexandria also visited the “St. Eustace Orthodox Orphanage” as well as the Primary School «Light of Nations» in Dolisie and offered valuable items to the children cared for there. Next, he visited the parish of the Lord’s Resurrection in the capital city of Brazzaville to bless the faithful people of God. 36
New Metropolitan of Aksum The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria convened from 26th to 29th November and proceeded to fill the vacant Holy Metropolis of Aksum, electing as the new Metropolitan the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, Fr. Daniel Biazis. The new Metropolitan was born in Zakynthos in 1977 and studied in Thessaloniki, while in recent years he has ministered to the missionary efforts of the Orthodox Church in Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. His ordination took place at the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified in Alexandria, on the saint’s feast day. His Eminence expressed his gratitude for his election to this historic African Metropolis, which today includes the states of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti, and promised to work «unconditionally and boundlessly» for the good of the Orthodox Church in Africa. On Sunday 3rd March, His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, enthroned at Saint Frumentius Cathedral in Addis Ababa the new Metropolitan, who, filled with awe, undertook the multi-responsibility work of Orthodox testimony and witness in this sensitive area, in the Horn of Africa. 37
New diocese in Congo (DRC) During the past Holy Synod of the bishops of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, on 26 November, 2018, the former Patriarchal Commissioner of Kananga, Fr. Theodosios Tsitsivos was elected the first Metropolitan bishop of the newly-founded Metropolis of Kananga. The enthronement of the new bishop in Kananga took place on 24 February, 2019, in Saint Andrew the Apostle Cathedral. Without exception, the local authorities showed up and welcomed with honors His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria with honors, who arrived in Kananga in order to enthrone Metropolitan Theodosios and bless the Orthodox faithful of Kananga and Kasai. Thousands of Christians received His Beatitude with hymns and songs. Our Patriarch spoke in warm words about the Metropolitan of Kananga and exhorted him to take a leaf of the book of the great missionaries who served the faithful of Africa, late archimandrites Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, Chariton Pnevmatikakis and Metropolitan bishop Ignatios of Pentapolis, and tread in their footsteps. The new Metropolitan of Kananga addressed the people and said: «My children, I haven’t come to leave, I came in order to stay, I came for you, so that we can go to Heaven together. You are my diamonds and my treasures!” From the Holy Metropolis 38
New diocese in Uganda Dear Friends of Mission, I greet you from Uganda in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank God, we are moving gently and nicely in this transition period of the establishment of the New Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda. I hereby wish to express my deep gratitude for the substancial financial support which you have given me, as I pleaded you after my consecration. It enabled me to meet various important needs these first days in Uganda. His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah of Uganda, along with priests and flock in Kampala, cordially welcomed me with a brilliant ceremony. On February 17, I was enthroned at the Saint Lawrence Orthodox church in Gulu with thousands of Orthodox faithful participating. Thanks to your prayers, everything has gone well! Our people in the North and all over Uganda has greatly delighted with their new diocese! Please, pray for us so that we have a blessed follow-through. I will soon let you know more about the situation of our bishopric. May you always have peace, health and joy from our Lord. †Bishop Silvestros of Gulu 39
New diocese in Malawi Dear Friends of the Mission and dedicated associates of the spiritual field of the sacrificial offering to our brothers and sisters living under difficult conditions in Malawi, Rejoice in the Lord. I would like to thank wholeheartedly all the donors coming from your Fraternity, the fellow Cyrenians of love. My beloved brethren, by divine grace I was elected the first Bishop of Malawi by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and my ordination was held at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Savvas in Alexandria on 23rd December 2018, by the venerable hands of His Beatitude Patriarch of the Mission Theodoros II. Finally, on 24th February, my enthronement took place in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. As you understand, I have entered into a new, more responsible ministry and I need you to remember me, the unworthy of heaven and earth, in your prayers. My beloved Christians, I am making an appeal to your kind heart with all the power of my soul, asking you to pray for me. Please pray for me so that I become a loyal and devoted laborer in the Vineyard of Christ and His Church there, in the distant land of Malawi, and worthy of the trust of our most worthy Patriarch. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified for us, the sinners, always be with you, I humbly pray. †Bishop Photios of Malawi 40
New diocese in South Madagascar
Dear brethren, by the grace of the One Triune God, at the inspired proposal of the Patriarch of Love, His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria Theodore II, and by the vote of the convened under His chairmanship Holy Synod of our grand Patriarchate, we had the election of the Bishop of Toliara and South Madagascar. This newly established Diocese is a result of the division of the Metropolis of Madagascar for pastoral reasons. Today I stand before you, an unworthy servant of Christ, humbled by this undertaking entrusted to me. As the burden of the successful continuity of the work of my brilliant predecessors is heavy, I earnestly ask you all for your prayers so that I may serve this blessed distant land of the earth, preaching the right faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Once again I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your honorary invitation to speak at the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity meeting on 10 February. My communication with you gave me courage and strength for this new start. I would also like to thank you for the financial assistance you provided to our newly-established Diocese. We are sure that the Lord Jesus Christ will bless this work, for it is an effort made only for His own glory and out of love and interest in the salvation of the immortal souls of our African brethren †Bishop Prodromos of Toliara and Southern Madagascar 41
Letter from Uganda To Panagiotis Papadimitrakopoulos, 1981
I am writing from a distant land Which the civil war captured And made it his. Here the sad sunless days Succumb at the threshold of death. In the mirror of truth you behold A stream of blood infecting The River Nile with horror. Here in weeping Uganda Screams desperation at tomorrow’s end. Sometimes silence comes in secret, It’s like a treat of time Before the hateful shots are fired again. Peace has been imprisoned In the dark cell of revenge. One morning hope awoke With a cool kiss on the bleeding lips of the earth. Mission here tenderly touches The unsmiling orphaned children, Like small flamingos in their nest. The worthy of holiness native fathers Obadiah, Ruben, Irenaeus, Theodore Glorify the Holy Triune God In thatch-roofed huts - Sacred Churches. An unforgettable memory leads the mind To the area of Holy Missionary Fr. Chrysostomos. Humility present generates smell, Breath seems to meet his own. His spiritual rays, a gift of God, Must be preserved intact in the soul. Here we plant seeds of essential nutrition But also Christian seeds of eternity! Nostis Psarras 42
Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos’ Contribution To Mission in Africa By His Eminence Metropolitan Nikiphoros of Kinshasa Part 1 The contribution of Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos to the missionary effort of our Patriarchate is very important indeed. Unfortunately, a number of circles have tried, deliberately or not, to reduce, underrate, or cover the work of the heroic missionary figure Archim. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, and disregard the contribution of Archim. Nicodemus Sarikas. Both of them ministered under the auspices and with the blessings of the Patriarchate. Fr. Chrysostomos set out for Africa after having been to Alexandria and asking for the blessings of Patriarch Christophoros. He advised those of us who knew him or were in contact with him to be obedient to the Church and the Bishop, and added that only by means of our Prelate’s blessing can we serve and
minister . He pointed out in a letter to Fr. John Athanasiadis: «As you are aware, the first «hearth»of the Greek Overseas Mission has already been established in Uganda of East Africa with the blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria and under the spiritual authority of His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos of Irinoupolis, whose blessings I convey to you.» Fr. Chrysostomos was born in 1903 in a village of Messenia, Greece, called Vasilitsi. He had great love for education but because of his father’s death he was forced to leave school at the age of ten, when he was in the 4th grade of Primary School. In 1918, that is one hundred years ago, when he was 16 years old, in pursuit of spiritual life he moved to the Koroni Monastery and then to the Hermitage
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of Panagoulakis (Holy Monastery of the Annunciation of the Theotokos) . When his brothers learned about that and went to take him, he did not accept to follow them, and he said, «Now I have finally found what my soul has been longing for, studying and praying.» On the 4th of May 1926 he was ordained a deacon and then a hieromonk by the Metropolitan Meletios of Messenia, and received his new name Chrysostomos from Christos. Next he was appointed as the Igumen of the H. M. of Gardikiou. Together with him was his mother, who he tonsured as a nun, giving her the name Sebastiani. Soon he was transferred to the Monastery of Chrysokellaria, where he completed his school studies «via homeschooling». In 1938 Chrysanthos, who was enthroned as Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, called him to Athens and enrolled him as a monk in the Holy Monastery of the Bodiless Powers (Petraki). Then he appointed him as Igumen of the H. Monastery of Panagia Phaneromeni in Salamis. In 1941, with the beginning of the German occupation and the consecration of Metropolitan Panteleimon of Edessa, he went to Edessa to serve near him. He was appointed as Chancellor and served in the difficult years of the occupation. Archim. Theokletos Stragas writes about him: «In that ravaged Greek region, I met the late Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos working with exceptional zeal and missionary self-denial. Despite the extremely harsh conditions in this central part of Macedonia, Father Chrysostomos traveled to all the suffering villages which were terrorized by OHRANA, where as a preacher and priest, particularly as an excellent confessor, did a truly remarkable job.” «He built the Monastery of the Holy Trinity
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under the waterfalls of Edessa. It is there that he became friends with Archim. Chariton Pnevmatikakis and Athanasios Frangopoulos, who served there as preachers. In the early 1950s, we find him serving in the Church of St. Paraskevi in Nea Krini, Thessaloniki. It is there that he got acquainted through confession with my late beloved father. Then the following event happened. My elder brother (one year older than me) fell asleep in the Lord due to medical error. He was very healthy then, whereas I was constantly ill. My father then went to complain to Father Chrysostomos: «Why didn’t God take my sick son and took the healthy one?» And Fr. Chrysostomos replied: «George will become a priest.» This came true on July the 20th, 1971. He also told him facts about the course of my life, which were eventually verified. From Thessaloniki he went again to Petraki Monastery, where he was given a great deal of time to study at the Theological School. As a student he got acquainted with Fr. Theodoros Nankyama from Uganda. He was already 58 years old. It is he who informs him of Mission in Uganda. At that point he hears the voice of God, and he shall answer. He writes in one of his earliest letters: «I could not do otherwise. The voice of our Master and Lord inside of me is authoritative, and I had to obey despite the protests of many beloved people. « Bishop Theodoros Nankyama informs us: «When in 1959 Athens was visited by Arch. Rouvim (also known as Spartan), Fr. Chrysostomos became furious and got ready to go to Africa. He did not lose his courage even though many people tried to discourage him on the pretext of his advanced age and fragile health. Some did more than trying to de-
ter him from leaving, they mocked him...” Even Archbishop Theokletos of Athens attempted to dissuade him from pursuing his vision: «You are old and sick, you will die there». Then Fr. Chrysostomos replied, «There are graves in Africa as well.» He went to Patmos to consult the holy elder Amphilochios Makris. When he told him about his intention and asked for his counsel, the latter encouraged him and said to him: «How much I would like to go to Africa myself! My age and my state of health don’t let me, though; I would be a burden and I would not be able to respond to my duties. What a pity I have grown so old! I envy you, Fr. Chrysostomos «! At Easter 1960 he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. From there he went to Alexandria to meet with Patriarch Christophoros and take his blessing for the realization of his decision to go down to East Africa. Indeed, the Patriarch gave him his blessing, and at the invitation of Mr. Soutis from Arusha, he traveled there, where he stayed for a while, and then he went to Kampala. His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos of Eirinoupolis appointed him to the Secretariat General of the Metropolis. Fr. Chrysostomos says in his letter: Remember me in your prayers so that I will be proven worthy to a certain degree of the mission and the «church mission” whose Secretariat General was assigned to me by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Eirinoupolis, -and be able to contribute a little myself to the glory of Christ and His Church .... «. As regards his missionary activity in Uganda, we will let the Ugandans speak for themselves about it. Fr. Obadiah Basajakitalo writes: «The Very Reverend Archimandrite Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos served devoutly the will of God in East
Africa for many years. Fr. Chrysostomos was not a salaried religious employee, but one of the most patient priests I have ever encountered, totally devoted, most industrious, always humble, never possessed by anger, I stress that, absolutely never, an exemplary teacher and philanthropist. I marveled at all the ways he handled the holy flock of Christ which was entrusted to him. He would never think highly of himself or be possessed by avarice. His experience in conducting church services was incomparable. Naturally, we, African Christians, loved him very much. I accompanied him on his journeys, both in Uganda, as in Kenya, in East Africa. I was always in close contact with him. He would always make the most of his limited spare time. I never saw or heard anyone accusing him or complaining about exploiting their kindness, nor did I see him quarrel with anyone. During his stay in Uganda and Kenya, he made great efforts to learn the languages of Swahili and Luganda, and he succeeded. He did learn them both. He was able to learn Swahili better and could preach the Word of God in it. He even managed to translate some church books into it. We may feel free to say and conclude that Archimandrite Chrysostomos was the most popular of the Orthodox ecclesiastical rulers in East Africa. May the Benevolent God grant rest to him. Rev. Fr. Obadiah K. Basajakitalo. Vicar General of Uganda Church of the Nativity of Christ, Bugollo-Ginza-Uganda. July 1973 (To be continued...)
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The Patriarch of Alexandria at our Warehouse in Filyro Address by the President of the Board Mr. Charalampos Metallidis Your Beatitude, blessed Father and Shepherd, it is with great honor and deep respect that the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity welcomes you to its warehouse in Filyro, Thessaloniki. «Mission means living and moving persons, having need of subsistence and easy movement to these long distances». This was the first calling of Father Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos at the Christmas of 1963, the first information sheet that the priest wrote to the «Friends of Uganda». It is since then that our Fraternity has begun this beautiful journey of ministry as well as the collection and shipment of goods to all missionary divisions unceasingly to this day. Each container loading with humanitarian aid to the poor of this world becomes life and the whole life becomes thanksgiving, a doxological communion with God and with all mankind. Every loading seems to be a joyous celebration, a gladsome gospel, paradise, a holy as well as spiritual missionary union. Your Beatitude, you are a Patriarch of love and you travel everywhere in Africa. You visit mud hut villages, you meet indigenous people living in utter poverty, you are aware of their problems, their needs, their pain, their anxieties. On all these journeys, I want you to know that you are not alone; mentally, along with you, all these young people are traveling too; they are also aware of the existing problems and they become participants in the history of Mission. They travel from Alexandria to Sierra Leone, until the Horn of Africa like you, carrying on their young shoulders the Greek Orthodox history of Mission. They have become participants in the work of God. Blessed are all these young adults for their voluntary participation in the poverty of the destitute of this world, the weakness of the weak, the sympathy they feel for the incessant suffering and agony of their fellow-humans. All these young people are soldiers of Christ, members of the One, Holy, and Apostolic Church, missionary deacons in the footsteps of Christ. And the hundreds of donors who support this effort by offering inkind aid or cash assistance for the purchase and shipment of all these items are your invaluable and irreplaceable supporters of this endeavor. With your blessing, we will continue this God-pleasing work. 47