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Ποιμαντικές ἐπισκέψεις στὴν Ἀφρικὴ

Σημαντικὲς ἐπισκέψεις ποὺ σηματοδοτοῦν τὴν πρόοδο τῆς ἱεραποστολῆς τῆς Γνησίας Ὀρθοδοξίας στὴν Ἀφρικὴ ἔλαβαν χώρα τελευταία. Ὁ Θεοφιλέστατος Ἐπίσκοπος Πελαγονίας Μάξιμος καὶ ὁ Μητροπολίτης Μεθώνης Ἀμβρόσιος πραγματοποίησαν πολὺ ἐπιτυχημένες ἐπισκέψεις στοὺς Ὀρθοδόξους πιστοὺς τῆς Ἀφρικῆς κατὰ τὸ Ἰανουάριο 2023.

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Ἐπίσκοπος Μάξιμος ἄρχισε τὴν ποιμαντικὴ ἐπίσκεψη στὴν Νιγηρία, ὅπου ἔφθασε στὶς 3 Ἰανουαρίου (ν.ἡ.). Αὐτὴ εἶναι ἡ δεύτερη ἐπίσκεψή του στὴν Νιγηρία, μετὰ τὴν πρώτη κατὰ τὸ καλοκαίρι τοῦ 2021. Ὅταν ἔφθασε στὴν Νιγηρία, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος ἔγινε δεκτὸς μὲ ἄκρο ἐνθουσιασμὸ ἀπὸ μία μεγάλη ὁμάδα ὑποδοχῆς στὸ Γκπόκο, ἕνα χωριὸ περίπου ἑπτὰ ὧρες νότια ἀπὸ τὴν Ἀμπούτζα, πρωτεύουσα τῆς Νιγηρίας. Τῆς ὁμάδος ἡγήθηκε ὁ π. Στέφανος Τέμα, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ μοναδικὸς Γνήσιος Ὀρθόδοξος ἱερεὺς τῆς Νιγηρίας, ποὺ χειροτονήθηκε τὸ 2021 ἀπὸ τὸν Ἐπ. Μάξιμο.

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γινε λιτανεία μέχρι τὴν διοίκηση τῆς Νιγηριανῆς ἐπαρχίας, ὅπου ἑδρεύει καὶ ἡ σχολὴ τοῦ Ἁγίου Μακαρίου. Ἡ σχολὴ αὐτὴ εἶναι ἕνα θεολογικὸ ἐκπαιδευτήριο ποὺ ἑτοιμάζει φοιτητὲς ποὺ ἐλπίζουν νὰ ἐγγραφοῦν στὴν Θεολογικὴ Σχολὴ Ἁγίου Φωτίου στὴν Ἔτνα τῆς Καλιφορνίας.

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Στὴν πρώτη μέρα λειτουργικῆς δράσεως, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος βάπτισε 21 πιστούς, καὶ τέλεσε τοὺς γάμους τεσσάρων ἀνδρογύνων. Ἡ ἑπομένη ἦταν εἰδικῆς σημασίας διότι ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος χειροθέτησε ἕναν ἀναγνώστη καὶ τρεῖς ὑποδιακόνους, καὶ χειροτόνησε τὸν π. Μαρτῖνο διάκονο.

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Κατόπιν ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος καὶ οἱ τρεῖς λαικοὶ ποὺ τὸν συνόδευαν ἐπισκέφθηκαν τὸν Βασιλέα Ἰάκωβο, τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Τίβ, καὶ τὸν Βασιλέα Ἰωάννη, ἄρχοντα τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Ἰντόμα. Καὶ οἱ δύο βασιλεῖς χάρηκαν ὅταν ἄκουσαν γιὰ τὴν ἐργασία ποὺ τελεῖται ἀπὸ τὴν Ἐκκλησία Γνησίων Ὀρθοδόξων Χριστιανῶν, καὶ ἐξέφρασαν τὴν συμφωνία τους νὰ κηρύττεται ἡ Ὀρθόδοξος πίστις στὴν ἐπικράτειά τους.

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Ἐπ. Μάξιμος συνέχισε τὸ ταξίδι του, ἐπισκεπτόμενος πολλὲς νέες ἐκκλησίες ποὺ ἑδραίωσαν καὶ συντηροῦν ὁ π. Στέφανος καὶ οἱ ἀκόλουθοί του. Ὁ Θεοφιλέστατος τελείωσε τὸ ταξίδι του μὲ τὴν Θεία Λειτουργία ποὺ τέλεσε τὴν ἡμέρα τῶν Θεοφανίων στὸν ναὸ στὸ διοικητικὸ κέντρο τῆς ἐπαρχίας. Ἐκεῖ ἀνήγγειλε ὁ Θεοφιλέστατος ὅτι θὰ άφιερωθεῖ ὁ ναὸς αὐτὸς στὴν Ὑπεραγία Θεοτόκο. Πρὶν φύγη ἀπὸ τὴν Νιγηρία, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος εὐλόγησε τὸν ναὸ καὶ ὅλα τὰ κτήρια καὶ τὸ οίκόπεδο τῆς ἐπαρχίας στὸ Γκπόκο.

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φοῦ συμπλήρωσε τὴν ἐργασία του στὴν Νιγηρία, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος πραγματοποίησε τὴν πρώτη του ποιμαντικὴ ἐπίσκεψη στὴν Οὐγκάντα. Ἐκεῖ ἐπισκέφθηκε τὸν ναὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου Βασιλείου στὸ Τζιμπόγκα καὶ τὴν ἱεραποστολικὴ κοινότητα τοῦ Ἁγίου Σπυρίδωνος, ποὺ ἑδρεύει ἕξι ὧρες ἀνατολικὰ ἀπὸ τὸ Τζιμπόγκα. Αὐτὲς τὶς κοινότητες φροντίζει ὁ π. Γεώργιος Σσέμπα, ὁ μοναδικός ἀπομείνας Γνήσιος Ὀρθόδοδοξος ἱερεὺς στὴν Οὐγκάντα. Ἕνα πραγματικὰ ἱστορικὸ γεγονὸς ἦταν ἡ κουρὰ τοῦ πρώτου μοναχοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Γ.Ο.Χ. στὴν Οὐγκάντα, τοῦ π. Μωσέως, ποὺ ἔγινε στὴν ἐνορία τοῦ Ἁγίου Σπρίδωνος. Μετὰ τὴν κουρά, ὁ Θεοφιλέστατος μίλησε μὲ τοὺς ἐνορίτες καὶ τοπικοὺς κυβερνητικοὺς ἐκπροσώπους περὶ τῆς πίστεως. Οἱ πιστοὶ στὴν Οὐγκάντα εἶχαν νὰ δεχθοῦν ἐπισκοπικὴ ἐπίσκεψη ἀπὸ τὸ 2018, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸ ἡ συγκίνησις τοῦ λαοῦ μὲ τὴν παρουσία ἑνὸς ἐπισκόπου ἦταν πολὺ μεγάλη!

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ν τῷ μεταξύ, ὁ Σεβ. Μεθώνης Ἀμβρόσιος εἶχε φθάσει στὴν ὄμορφη χώρα τῆς Ἀνατολικῆς Ἀφρικῆς, τὴν Κένυα, καὶ εἶχε τελέσει τὴν κουρὰ δύο νέων μοναχῶν (π. Νικηφόρου καὶ π. Φιλαρἐτου) στὸ Μοναστῆρι τῆς Κοιμήσεως τῆς Θεοτόκου, ὅπου ὁ ναός εἶχε συμπληρωθεῖ και ἐγκαινιασθεῖ τὸ 2022, καὶ ὅπου σήμερα ἐγκαταβιοῦν τέσσερις μοναχοί. Τὴν ἑπομένη μέρα, τὴν 28 Ἰανουαρίου 2023, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος καὶ οἱ συνοδοιπόροι του συνάντησαν τὸν Σεβ. Ἀμβρόσιο στὸ Ἔμπου τῆς Κένυας. Ὁ Σεβ. Ἀμβρόσιος, ποὺ ἐπὶ σαράντα χρόνια ἐπισκέπτεται διάφορα κράτη τῆς Ἀφρικῆς, ἔδειξε στὸν Θεοφ. Πελαγονίας, ποὺ γιὰ πρώτη φορὰ ἐπισκέφθηκε τὴν Κένυα, ὅλη τὴν ἐργασία ποὺ γίνεται ἐκεῖ. Ὁ Μητροπολίτης Ἀμβρόσιος ἔδειξε στὸν Ἐπίσκοπο Μάξιμο καὶ τὴν συνοδία του καὶ τὸ ἀνδρικὸ μοναστῆρι καὶ τὸ γυναικείο τοῦ Ἁγίου Γεωργίου, ὅπου διαμένουν τώρα 18 μοναχές. Ἡ Θεία Λειτουργία τελέσθηκε τὸ Σάββατο στὸ Μοναστῆρι τοῦ Ἁγίου Γεωργίου καὶ τὴν Κυριακὴ στὴν ἐνορία τοῦ Ἁγίου Παύλου, Κάντζα, τὴν μεγαλύτερη ἐκκλησία τῶν Γ.Ο.Χ. στὴν Κένυα. Συλλειτούργησαν οἱ δύο ἐπίσκοποι, ὅλοι οἱ κληρικοὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας στὴν Κένυα (ἑπτὰ ἱερεῖς καὶ ἕνας διάκονος) καὶ ὁ π. Παναγιώτης Παυλίδης ἀπὸ τὴν Ἑλλάδα. Ἐκκλησιάσθηκαν ἑκαντοντάδες πιστοί, μοναχοί, μοναχές, κληρικοί, καὶ πολλοὶ λαϊκοί, μὲ παρουσία καὶ ἀντιπροσώπων τοῦ κράτους. Μετὰ τὴν Θεία Λειτουργία, ὁ Ἐπ. Μάξιμος μίλησε μὲ τοὺς Κενυάτες κληρικοὺς γιὰ τὴν Θεολογικὴ Σχολὴ τοῦ Ἁγίου Φωτίου, ποὺ ἐλπίζεται ὅτι θὰ μορφώσει μελλοντικοὺς κληρικοὺς γιὰ τὴν Ἀφρικὴ καὶ γιὰ ἄλλα μέρη τοῦ κόσμου. Ἔγιναν ἐπισκέψεις καὶ στοὺς ναοὺς τῆς Ἀναστάσεως, Μουκουούρι, Ἁγίου Ἰακώβου, Μακένγκι, καὶ τοῦ Ἀρχαγγέλου Μιχαὴλ στὸ Καθανγκιρίρι. Ὁ κόσμος ἦταν πολὺ συγκινημένος καὶ ὑποδέχθηκε τοὺς ἐπισκέπτες μὲ τὸν παραδοσιακὸ τρόπο τῆς Ἀφρικῆς, μὲ τραγούδια, χοροὺς καὶ δῶρα τοπικῶν φρούτων.

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Μητροπολίτης Ἀμβρόσιος, ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος Μάξιμος καὶ οἱ συνοδοί τους (δύο ἀπὸ τὴν Ἀμερική, πέντε ἀπὸ τὴν Ἑλλάδα, δύο ἀπὸ τὴν Ἀγγλία καὶ ἕνας ἀπὸ τὴν Σκωτία) τελικῶς ἀποχωρίσθηκαν τὴν πρώτη Φεβρουαρίου. Ὁ Σεβ. Ἀμβρόσιος ἐπέστρεψε στὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ ὁ Θεοφ. Μάξιμος στὴν Γουατεμάλα. Ὅπως εἶναι γνωστὸν, ἡ παρουσία καὶ τῶν δύο ἱεραρχῶν ἀπαιτεῖται σὲ πολλὲς χῶρες τοῦ κόσμου.

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φοῦ τέλεσε τὴν Θεία Λειτουργία, ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος Μάξιμος δήλωσε μπροστὰ σὲ μεγάλο πλῆθος ὅτι ῾῾ἡ Ἀφρικὴ εἶναι τὸ μέλλον τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας᾽᾽. Ὁ ἐνθουσιασμὸς καὶ ἡ δρᾶσις ποὺ παρουσιάζονται στὴν Ἀφρικὴ γιὰ τὴν Ὀρθοδοξία βεβαίως μαρτυροῦν τὴν ἀλήθεια τῆς γνώμης του.

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Δόξα τῷ Θεῷ γιὰ ὅλα τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν πρόοδο τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας στὴν Ἀφρική! Ὁ Θεὸς νὰ ὁδηγῆ τοὺς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἀφρικανοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφές μας ὅπως συνεχίζουν νὰ ἀλλάζουν τὸν κόσμον!

Τιμόθεος Σχενόνε, Θεολογικὴ Σχολὴ Ἁγίου Φωτίου, Ἔτνα Καλιφορνίας.

 

The 2023 Pastoral Visits to Africa


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lory to God! The rise of true Orthodoxy in Africa has only just begun! His Grace, Bishop Maximus of Pelagonia, and His Eminence, Metropolitan Ambrose of Methone both had very successful trips visiting the Orthodox faithful in Africa during the month of January 2023.


Bishop Maximus began the pastoral visits to Africa by landing in Nigeria on January 3, 2023. This was the second pastoral visit Bishop Maximus has made to Nigeria since the first one in the summer of 2021. Upon arriving in Nigeria, Bishop Maximus was greeted by a thunderous welcoming committee in Gboko, a village about seven hours south of Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. The welcoming committee was led by Father Stephen Tema, the first and only Genuine Orthodox Priest in all of Nigeria who was ordained in 2021 by Bishop Maximus.


A procession was made to the Deanery of Nigeria Headquarters, where the Saint Makarios Formation House is located. The Saint Makarios Formation House is a preparatory theological school with students who hope to enroll at Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary in Etna, California.


On his first day serving, Bishop Maximus baptized 21 of the faithful and immediately afterwards performed a wedding service for four couples. The next day was of particular importance and joy for the people of Nigeria as Bishop Maximus tonsured a Reader, made three Subdeacons, and ordained Father Deacon Martin to the Diaconate.


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ishop Maximus and his entourage then went on to visit both King James, the Paramount Ruler of the Tiv Nation, and King John the Paramount Ruler of the Idoma Kingdom. Both Kings were delighted to hear about the work being done by the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians, and gave their approval for the Orthodox Faith to be preached throughout the land.


Bishop Maximus continued his journey by visiting many new churches established and maintained by Father Stephen Tema and his students. His Grace ended his visit to Nigeria by serving Divine Liturgy for Holy Theophany at the unnamed church located at the Deanery of Nigeria Headquarters. After the service was over, Bishop Maximus announced that the unnamed church would be dedicated and named after the Holy Theotokos. Before leaving Nigeria, Bishop Maximus blessed the church and the entire property of the Deanery of Nigeria in Gboko.


After completing his work in Nigeria, Bishop Maximus made his first ever pastoral visit to Uganda. There he visited the churches of Saint Basil in Kiboga, Uganda, and a mission parish named after Saint Spyridon located about 6 hours east of Kiboga. These two Orthodox communities are put under the care of Father George Ssempa, the only remaining Genuine Orthodox Priest in Uganda. History was made during Bishop Maximus’s visit to the Parish of Saint Spyridon, as the first monk of the Genuine Orthodox Church in Uganda, Father Moses, was tonsured. After the tonsuring, Bishop Maximus spoke with parishioners and local government leaders about the Faith. Uganda had not had a Bishop visit them since 2018. Because of this, the excitement of the Ugandan people seeing a Bishop again was incredibly high.


Meanwhile, His Eminence, Metropolitan Ambrose of Methone had made his way to the beautiful East African country of Kenya and tonsured two monks at the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, which was completed and consecrated in 2022 and currently has four monks living on the monastery grounds. The next day, January 28, 2023, Bishop Maximus and his companions met with Metropolitan Ambrose in Embu, Kenya. Metropolitan Ambrose, who has been making pastoral visits to African nations for forty years, made a point to show Bishop Maximus, who had never visited Kenya before, all the work being done there. Metropolitan Ambrose showed Bishop Maximus both the men’s monastery and the Convent of Saint George, which currently has eighteen nuns living there. Divine Liturgy was served on Saturday at the Convent of Saint George and on Sunday at Saint Paul’s Orthodox Church in Kanja, the largest Genuine Orthodox Christian Church in Kenya. Divine Liturgy was served together with all the clergy of our church in Kenya, and Father Panagiotis Pavlopoulos, who was visiting from Greece. Hundreds were in attendance, including monks, nuns, clergymen, government officials, and many laypeople. After Divine Liturgy, Bishop Maximus spoke with the clergymen of Kenya about Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary, a place that will hopefully supply more future Priests for Kenya and the whole world. Visits were also made to the Parishes of the Resurrection in Mukuuri, Saint Jame.


Metropolitan Ambrose, Bishop Maximus, and their companions (two from the United States, five from Greece, two from England, and one from Scotland) finally parted on Wednesday, February 1. Metropolitan Ambrose returned to Greece and Bishop Maximus returned to Guatemala. As is clear, the presence of both hierarchs is in very high demand in many countries around the world.


After serving a Divine Liturgy, His Grace, Bishop Maximus, proclaimed in front of a large crowd, “Africa is the future of Orthodoxy.” The enthusiasm and energy that has been occurring in Africa for Orthodoxy certainly supports his statement.
Glory to God for all the work and progress the Church has made in Africa! May God guide our African brothers and sisters in Christ as they continue to change the world!