First Orthodox monastery opens in South Africa

Hartbeespoort, South Africa, February 2, 2018

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa arrived to South Africa on January 19 to take part in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Archdiocese of the Cape of Good Hope (1968-2018). The primate’s mission trip also included visitations to Namibia and Kenya.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

The patriarch, accompanied by Metropolitan Damascene of Johannesburg and Pretoria and Bishop Nikodimos of Nitria, also visited the newly-built Monastery of Sts. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nektarios of Aegina, and Paisios the Athonite near Hartbeespoort, 40 miles north of Johannesburg, reports AgionOros.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

The festivities were also attended by the Ambassador and General Consul of Greece in South Africa, Church and public figures, and a host of clergy and faithful.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

The first monastery in South Africa was built by the labors of Metropolitan Seraphim of Johannesburg (now heading the Diocese of Zimbabwe and Angola) in the desert place about an hour’s drive from the capital.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

There are currently five nuns laboring in the monastery. The spiritual father for the holy habitation is Archimandrite Apostol Apostolakis, who also founded two other convents in Kenya and Tanzania.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

During his visit, the Alexandrian patriarch officially enthroned the first abbess of the South African monastery, Nun Ortodoxia.

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

During his sermon, the patriarch stressed that monasticism “is not disdain for the world, but an exhortation for its transfiguration—a transfiguration in Christ, and for salvation.”  

Photo: Romfea Photo: Romfea
    

2/2/2018

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Comments
Andrew May 9/10/2022 9:13 pm
Good evening.My name is Andrew May from Diepkloof Soweto I am diabetic and have schizophrenia and would love to be a monk for two years of my life serving the Lord. In essence I would like to find a place of belonging where I can exercise my spirituality in peace far away from my community. Thank you for reading this message if the Christian orthodox is will to except me I can come there month end or when an opening is available for those that wishes to be Christian monks. God bless
Moosa10/7/2021 8:37 pm
https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/q3e6c6/arming_christians_to_defend_their_faith/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 This link is to arm christians with the truth. We love Othordox.
irfaan5/14/2021 9:26 pm
I have abandoned Islam and found Orthodox Christianity incredible. I would love to migrate and embrace an Orthodox community there.
anonymous4/12/2021 1:27 pm
The prophet of Islam - prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon all prophets) in authentic recordings (hadeeth) said : “A time will come when nothing will remain of Islam except its name and nothing will remain of the Quran except its script. Mosques will be full of worshippers, but there will be no righteousness. Their ulema ( religious scholars ) will be the worst creatures under the sky. Evil plots will originate from them and return to them.” Prophet Muhammad also, in his last farewell sermon over 2000 years ago warned his follows, that they ' must give back the properties and belongings to their rightful owners ' and that, ' nothing is legitimate if it was not given away freely and willingly '. Muslims leaders have been doing the exact opposite and as a result causing all the chaos and trials we are faced with around the world. They have hypocritically given away the lands of Jerusalem and Palestine, in exchange for the partitioned lands of India (Pakistan, Kashmir & Bangladesh). These lands were stolen from the Hindu's in India. The entire affairs of the world revolve around these illegal captured lands of India, and Jerusalem. The world of Islam's followers are in the dark about these facts. They dont know that the partitioned lands of India were actually stolen by muslims in cahoots with the British in 1947, and that they were ordered by the prophet of Islam, to return these lands and other belongings to their rightful owners. So in fact, Islam has hijacked the entire planet by its corrupt - illegal possessions of lands especially.
Maria MMagdalena Jacobs3/10/2021 1:19 pm
As newly converted I am most pleased to see the growth of orthodoxy in Africa. We reside in a mining town in north west province, South Africa. The ignorance regarding orthodoxy and its true history is startling. May our Makers mercy and Grace rest with all readers.
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