Two heterodox African communities want to join the Russian Church

Western Kenya, February 3, 2022

Fr. George Maximov meets with an Orthodox community in Kenya. Photo: Telegram Fr. George Maximov meets with an Orthodox community in Kenya. Photo: Telegram     

Things are developing rapidly for the Russian Orthodox Church’s new Exarchate on the territory of the Alexandrian Patriarchate with the ongoing visit of two Russian priests—Fr. George Maximov and Fr. Andrei Novikov.

They have celebrated the Divine Liturgy with a number of priests in various countries, distributed pectoral crosses and antimens signed by the African Exarch Metropolitan Leonid, and held spiritual and administrative discussions.

Fr. Andrei celebrated the Exarchate’s first Baptism in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, yesterday, following a Liturgy with several priests.

On Tuesday, Met. Leonid reported that two small non-Orthodox groups in Kenya have expressed interest in joining the Russian Church.

The leaders of the groups met with Fr. George Maximov, and in consultation with Met. Leonid, “the necessary steps were identified for the catechization of these communities.”

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!

2/3/2022

See also
Kenya: Overwhelming majority of Kisumu Diocese priests join Russian Church Kenya: Overwhelming majority of Kisumu Diocese priests join Russian Church Kenya: Overwhelming majority of Kisumu Diocese priests join Russian Church Kenya: Overwhelming majority of Kisumu Diocese priests join Russian Church
During the writing of this article, another Kenyan priest told OrthoChristian that more than 60 Kisumu priests have joined the Russian Church. Dozens of African priests serve first Liturgy of Russian Exarchate (+VIDEO) Dozens of African priests serve first Liturgy of Russian Exarchate (+VIDEO) Dozens of African priests serve first Liturgy of Russian Exarchate (+VIDEO) Dozens of African priests serve first Liturgy of Russian Exarchate (+VIDEO)
The Liturgy was celebrated at the Church of the Great Martyr Panteleimon in the village of Ebuyangu, with priests from the surrounding districts. 100+ antimens signed for African priests of Russian Exarchate 100+ antimens signed for African priests of Russian Exarchate 100+ antimens signed for African priests of Russian Exarchate 100+ antimens signed for African priests of Russian Exarchate
A priest cannot celebrate the Divine Liturgy without an antimens signed by his ruling hierarch. This liturgical necessity is a rectangular piece of cloth, placed on the holy altar table, typically with an icon of the Descent of Christ from the Cross and inscriptions related to the Passion. A small relic of a martyr is usually sewn into it.
Comments
Menas2/4/2022 3:42 pm
Maybe the Russian Church will be able to bring the Copts and Ethiopians back into Orthodoxy.
James2/4/2022 11:49 am
Kevin: "There is a fascinating ambition among the Russian church to bring Orthodoxy to communities and peoples long ignored." Exactly. This perhaps springs from the fact that in Russia itself there are numerous ethnicities belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church. It's really a multi-ethnic Church, with of course the majority being Russian. The Greeks used to be great missionaries when they were a multi-ethnic Empire, but history has changed that. Now they are struggling to hold on to what they have. I think there are many factors involved, and there is no indictment against any of the ethnic Churches, but what Greg said only applies to certain Russian parishes with a concentration of Russian immigrants. Even there, if you look more closely, you'll find different ethnicities: Georgians, Ukrainians, even Azerbaijanis, etc.--basically Russian speakers from the former Soviet Union. It's easier for them to speak Russian than English. But after church they all go out into the American world like everyone else.
Kevin2/3/2022 10:56 pm
The Russian church is different in each parish from my observation in Texas. I know of a parish nearby with a lot of Russians or those married to Russians and it serves as a cultural hub for that community. My parish has (I hope not to omit anybody) 2 Russians. Most of us are from mixed ethnicities such as most Americans are, and there are a few blacks- most of all we are Protestant converts to Orthodoxy. I cannot speak for all of us, but given the Protestant emphasis on reading the Bible, I suspect, like myself, they read the Bible and it guided them to the church that compiled it. There is no doubt that there is definitely a Russian cultural component in ROCOR churches. If for nothing else, out of respect for the suffering of the people who brought and bring us to orthodoxy. None of this is to say the Greeks or Serbs are exclusionary- that has not been my experience. I’ve been received warmly by them as well, but there is a fascinating ambition among the Russian church to bring Orthodoxy to communities and peoples long ignored. That is to be praised.
James2/3/2022 10:25 pm
Greg: "The Russian Church in the West is essentially an ethnic organization". No, the Russian Church (of which there is more than one branch, so you can't lump it into one profile) is the least ethnic of all the diaspora Churches today, with perhaps the exception of the Antiochean. In the Greek churches you will see mostly Greeks, in the Serbian, Romanian, etc., the same situation. While in many Russian-tradition churches you will find mostly local converts. These converts are not Russian sycophants as you rather crudely name them, but simply Orthodox Christians who have found their home in one of the Russian-tradition Churches. To say that the bishops are betraying the Gospel is slander at best. Which bishops are you talking about? St. John of Shanghai? St. Tikhon of Moscow, who served in America? There have been saintly, missionary bishops in the Russian-tradition Churches. Or perhaps you're talking about Archbishop Dimitry of Dallas, of the OCA--an American convert? I would say that you need to repent of your comment.
Greg2/3/2022 9:20 pm
I think what is not understood clearly here is that the African communities suffer from several problems. The issue of Greek ethnocentrism is a (shameful) problem of the hierarchy, but there is also the indigenous problem of tribalism. My own exposure has been to the dynamics in Uganda, but many priests have suffered from discrimination by the other Africans in the Church. The local parishes also desperately need money. The Ukraine scandal is more or less a catalyst to expose deeper issues at play in Africa. A soundly Christian hierarch would pay attention to these and find a path to an authentic Christian ministry by authentic Christian shepherds - perhaps Moscow can do that. Its difficult to say: if we look at the situation in the west, the Russian church is essentially an ethnic organization and in that sense really fundamentally at odds with the Gospel, in fact actively working against it in many (perhaps most) cases. The difference with Africa (and parts of Asia) is the absence of ethnic Russians and sycophants of Russian Orthodoxy. So there may be hope. I say that as a multi generational Russian Orthodox slav: if there is one thing the Church teaches unambiguously it is the need for repentance. And God knows the Russian hierarchs in the west need to repent of their ethnocentric betrayal of the Gospel.
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×