Clerics of the Exarchate of Africa to become novices in Russian monasteries
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the future clerics of the African Exarchate will come to Russia to be imbued with the spirit of the Church.
The Greek Church has paid little attention to the desire of young men and women from Africa to take monastic vows, said Metropolitan Leonid of Klin during an online conference on the protection of Christians in Africa and the Middle East.
“And as we understand, monasticism is a key stronghold of any Church, its engine and heart,” said Bishop Leonid.
According to the Patriarchal Exarch, before establishing monasteries in Africa, the hierarchy of the Exarchate will train the monks: those wishing to become monks will come to Russian monasteries as novices, live, get acquainted with liturgical traditions, the monastic statute, and then they will already create monastic communities in their homeland.
Vladyka also said that priests from the African Exarchate will come to Russia to “improve their qualifications” in order to study the liturgical traditions and the statute of the Russian Orthodox Church profoundly.
As reported, the ROC will create quotas for students from the African Exarchate to enter theological schools.
