In Africa, the ROC Exarchate clergy celebrate their first Divine Liturgy
Priests and believers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod of the ROC for creating the Exarchate of the Russian Church in Africa.
With the blessing of Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, 24 African priests of the Russian Orthodox Church from the Kakamega and Vihiga districts celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the church of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon in Ebuayangu village.
Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Exarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, announced this on his telegram channel.
African clerics, together with Priest Georgy Maximov, celebrated the liturgy conciliarly on a new antimension of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus and Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, were commemorated at the service.
During the liturgy there was used a new translation of St. John Chrysostom in Swahili, made in compliance with the Russian tradition of worship and the correction of imperfections of the previous translation.
After the Divine Liturgy, Priest Georgy Maksimov presented icons to the temple and also handed over home icons, pectoral crosses and specially published Orthodox prayer books in Swahili to the priests and believers.
Priest Georgy Maksimov held a general meeting of the clergy, who discussed numerous issues related to the organization of church life.
The priests and believers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church for the establishment of the Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa.
As the UOJ previously reported, the Exarch of Africa responded to a letter from the hierarch of the Church of Alexandria.
