26 • DECEMBER 2018
ORTHODOX MISSION QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE ORTHODOX MISSIONARY FRATERNITY
orthodox mission
Founded in 1963 Honored by the Patriarchate of Alexandria #26 - October-December 2018 Editor: Nostis Psarras Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
In this issue 04 06 08 12 14 16 18 21 26 30 33 37 39 42 43 44
Indonesia Colombia Ghana Tanzania - Dar Es Salaam Madagascar Kenya - Nairobi Congo Republic Malawi Congo (DRC) - Kinshasa Tanzania - Arusha Where God really wanted Thoughts on Mission In the heart of Africa Providing energy Carriers of Hope Fr. Cosmas of Gregoriou
You can give your love for the Orthodox Missions abroad via Paypal at paypal@ierapostoles.gr, by check or by deposit in our bank account:
ALPHA BANK • ΙΒΑΝ: GR93 0140 4050 4050 0200 2000 170 • BIC: CRBAGRAA Other bank accounts: omf.gr/ways-give/ An ofiicial receipt for your donation will be issued and mailed to you.
Authors are responsible for their own articles. Owner:
Orthodox Missionary Fraternity
6, Mackenzie King st., Hagia Sophia sq. GR546 22 THESSALONIKI
2310 279910 fax. 2310 279902
https://orthodoxmission.org.gr
communications @orthodoxmission.org.gr Registered Charitable Association Aim: Moral and material support for the worldwide Eastern Orthodox Missions Spiritual founder: Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos Founding president: Pantelis Bayas Great Benefactor : P. Papademetracopoulos Honorary president: Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and all Africa
Board of Directors Charalampos Metallidis President
Nostis Psarras Vice president Angeliki Arnaouti Secretary General Dimitrios Sotirkos Τreasurer Constantinos Metallidis Secretary Assistant Zenobios Iatrou Treasurer Assistant Evangelia Traikoudi Member Aikaterini Alexandrou Member
Prodromos Kalaitzidis
Member
Holy Nativity 2018
May the grace of our newly-born Christ shine upon you and the nations in the new year 2019
INDONESIA
Support our Priests! Dear friends of the Mission, With the power of God, our prelate, Bishop Constantine of Singapore, came for another time to Medan city on 24 August, 2018, and conducted the ordination of deacon Savvas to the priesthood at Saint Demetrios church. We greatly rejoiced, for the number of priests serving in Indonesia is increasing and, so, the faithful in our country will also increase. Now, Fr. Savvas awaits a good-hearted man to buy him the tickets and rent a house for him and his family in East Timor. Deacon Prochoros is in Jakarta and assists Fr. Gabriel there. We are awaiting His Eminence’s blessing so that he can be ordained and take 4
charge of our church in Jakarta, since Fr. Gabriel is usually absent due to his visiting other places to officiate there. Our ministry also goes on in Sumbul. Fr. Luke, his wife Maria and their children are all well. Besides his duties as a rector, Fr. Luke is also a principal at our St. John the Forerunner School. Usually, when he finishes school, he works the land in the small field next to the church, but his field is very narrow. Therefore, he is thinking of buying one more field around the corner, in order to plant vegetables there and relieve his family expenses. This adjacent field is being sold for 1,500 euro.
In Nias, the ministry of Fr. Chariton Zega goes on. He is the rector in three parishes and the principal of our St. Nicholas School. In his simplicity, Fr. Chariton carries on our Orthodox Mission there. His parishioners are agreeable and full of love for him, so they decided to weed a field and sow rice. When rice matures, they harvest and bring it to their priest’s house. So, for a year Fr. Chariton will have plenty of rice in his home to feed his family. Finally, Fr. Theodosios is here
with me. His wife works at a factory to make a living. We cannot help them substantially. Therefore, all our priests here in Sumatra and in all Indonesia lack a regular salary. We must find ways to make them financially sustainable. With the power of God and the intercessions of the Theotokos we continue our work in the field of the Orthodox Mission in this big country. With many wishes, Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu
If you also want to support our priests, turn on page 47
Fr. Chrysostomos at the Orthodox school in mountainous Sumbul
5
COLOMBIA
Opened Door of Faith Dear friends of the Mission, It is with pleasure that I am writing to you, rendering glory to the Almighty Creator, because after so many centuries He illumined Colombia and Venezuela with the light of Orthodoxy. When His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico first came to our region, the Orthodox in Colombia were only a few Greek migrants and other faithful who had come from traditionally Orthodox nations. His Eminence understood that this treasure should not be restricted only to those who were born in the Orthodox Church, but be accessible to everyone willing to taste the true and genuine Christian teaching. 6
Our bishop did not know that this effort would be well received by us, Colombians, who for years, despite our many sins and infirmities, had been looking for a window, in order to find the source of right faith which would open our eyes to see beyond the rationalism that blinds Western theology. Our request for the genuine message of the gospel was fulfilled with the establishment of the Holy Diocese of Mexico. His Eminence did not know what a great mission he was assuming in these countries, which may know what Christianity is, but they are full of misconceptions originating out of rationalistic stances and human inventions that alienate people from the teaching
of the gospel. Such a mission needed a bold calling and vision. Up to that moment the missionary work had only taken place in the African continent. In Latin America, Orthodoxy was something unknown, distant and confined to the East. With patience and persistence the bishop opened the door giving us the opportunity to know and acknowledge that Orthodoxy is not a national Christian denomination but the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. With the support of important people and associations, such as the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity that has lovingly backed this work since the beginning, people from
Colombia and other Latin American countries are becoming Orthodox. The love and patience of yours, being our elder brothers in Christ, is big‌ We have made many mistakes during all these years, but gradually we are getting stronger. It is not easy for us here to find the necessary liturgical utensils, therefore I would like to cordially thank you for this sizable recent donation of vestments and utensils, through which you have empowered us to properly offer our worship to the untainted and unfathomable God. A thousand thanks to all of you. With respect and love in the Lord, Fr. Timotheos Torres
7
GHANA
Pastoral Visit to the Diocese of Accra By the grace of God, His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria paid his second official visit to Ghana and his first one to Côte d’ Ivoire. A journey which, despite several postponements , was meant to take place, bringing a spiritual uplift to the souls of the Orthodox, who lived their own resurrection along with their spiritual father. On November 2, his Beatitude arrived at the airport of Accra, the capital of Ghana, where he was received by local officials, the clergy of the Holy Diocese, little children -who, dressed in traditional costumes, offered him some flowers- as well as by a multitude of Orthodox faithful who had come to see him and take their father’s blessing. 8
On the same day, at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Accra, the Great Doxology was sung, through which we gave thanks to God for the arrival of the spiritual father of the Mission and Primate of all Africa; the usual addresses and panegyrics were delivered afterwards. In his address, His Beatitude expressed his delight for that unprecedented mass welcome offered to him by the faithful people of Accra and strongly underlined the spiritual role of the Patriarchate and the unflagging concern of his as well as that of the local Bishop and of his cleric and lay partners. He particularly stressed the necessity for young people to care for their education and take advantage of
the free education provided under the auspices of the Holy Diocese in order to acquire skills and technical qualifications which will be helpful for their lives and for their future. Then, in the forecourt of the Mission Center, the choir of the Cathedral gave a performance that filled everyone in attendance with joy and spiritual delight. Seeing the excitement and the passion of these young people, His Beatitude proclaimed the choir of Accra as the best choir of the Patriarchate. On the following day, Saturday, November 3, His Beatitude visited St. Peter’s Vocational School in Larteh, where he conducted the Blessing Service and inaugurated
the new, well-equipped computer lab of the Holy Diocese, in the presence of local officials, chiefs of Larteh region, a multitude of people and students of the School. The presentation of the lab and the demonstration of the students’ capabilities in new technologies excited everyone and spread a sense of satisfaction, since this opportunity is offered by the Church, thereby passing on the message that she not only provides them with spiritual equipment for the salvation of their souls, but also with supplies that will empower them to contribute to the development of their country through the contemporary means that our world has invented.
9
Undoubtedly, this is due to those people who love Mission and help missionary teams in various ways. Every praise is to the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, which has always been a supporter in charitable projects, such as the building and equipment of churches, schools and clinics. An indispensable part of every pastoral visit of our Primate is a Eucharistic assembly of all the Orthodox faithful. There, just like in the early-Christian synaxes, the unwearied Patriarch of Love can listen to doxological thanksgiving to the Triune God chorused by people who have met the true God and fol-
10
low His holy gospel in simplicity of heart in their everyday circumstances. Therefore, on Sunday, November 4, His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Accra, assisted by their Eminences Metropolitans George of Guinea and Narkissos of Accra, as well as by the entire clergy of the Accra diocese. Once more, he thanked the church choir of the Diocese and bestowed the office of Protopresbyter on Fr. Basil Kuami Lampe. The Divine Liturgy was followed by a meeting, an assembly of priests presided by His Beati-
His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria in the new Computer Science School in Larteh, funded by our Fraternity
The Patriarch of Alexandria with the Chief of Akuapem
tude the Prelate of the Alexandrian Church, who seized the opportunity to listen to the priests themselves talking about the spiritual and charitable work carried out and be informed about their needs and the difficulties they encounter in their work. Their Patriarch blessed them and encouraged them to continue working in the Lord’s vineyard and pledged to be at their side in every need, in every challenge, and pray and supplicate for their thriving and progress. We should note here that despite his heavy schedule, he made time for a meeting with the heir apparent to the British Throne, HRH Prince Charles of Wales, with whom they talked about Orthodox issues as well as the work of the Patriarch-
ate in Africa, since the Prince does not hide his affinity for the Orthodox Church and Mount Athos, nor his contribution to charitable projects in the African continent. Our Patriarch praised the solid foundation of the Orthodox Church and the work being done in Ghana and subsequently left for Côte d’Ivoire with the best of memories and impressions, the most important of which is the love he was given by the local faithful, to whom he left his fatherly blessings and wishes for the progress and growth of every pastoral project undertaken for the exaltation of man in the Kingdom of God. (To be continued…) † Narkissos of Accra 11
TANZANIA - Dar Es Salaam
Saint James School in Tanzania By the grace of God and with the blessings of the Pope and Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and all Africa, His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrios of Irinoupolis completed the construction of one more Orthodox school in Kisaki, eastern Tanzania, dedicated in honor of Saint James, funded by an anonymous friend of the Missions from Northern Greece. Although God has blessed the 14 years of His Eminence’s missionary work in Central and Eastern Tanzania so that seven other schools have already been built or extensively renovated, the needs are still pressing due to the increasing 12
and richly blessed missionary fruition. Since very early in the morning, on Monday, September 10, at the newly built school there was a big turnout of hundreds of students from the primitive Maasai tribe, as well as of indigenous priests, Orthodox priests, teachers, mayors, school principals and other local officials. They came to attend the Blessing service of the first Orthodox school in Morogoro district, Eastern Tanzania, where we started a new already fructifying effort among the Muslim majority of the population. After the service, His eminence
spoke in Swahili and praised the activity of the Patriarchate of Alexandria across the African continent aiming for peace, progress, education, health, prosperity and peaceful coexistence, while he wished a blessed, happy and fruitful school year for the good of Tanzania and for the progress of the African continent in general. Then, as a sign of gratitude, the local chief of the Maasai tribe awarded the royal order of merit to His Eminence Demetrios, who is actually the first religious leader of European descent in Morogoro district to get this honorable award!
Finally, we would like to express afresh our thanks to the Board of Directors and the donors of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity for their unfailing support to our missionary work here in Eastern Tanzania, and inform you that a new building plot has already been purchased for the erection of the 36th Orthodox church in Tanzania in honor of our Lady’s Annunciation with funds eagerly provided by your Fraternity, therefore, once more I thank you for your ceaseless prayers and sustained support! Wishes for a happy and blessed Nativity season! From the Holy Diocese
13
MADAGASCAR
The Struggle Goes On‌ Dear friends of the Mission, Last September we received a group of physicians from Cyprus, a visit organized under the guidance of His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kition. Most of them had already visited us in the past and had offered their medical services to the indigent people who live isolated in distant places. This is a very important offer, since due to the climatic conditions there are no state doctors serving in these regions. Last month we had new baptisms in the southern part of the country. In many villages in Toliara region there were catechumens waiting patiently for the day that they would receive the grace of God through the sacrament of baptism.
14
As always, the days baptisms take place are days of spiritual joy; everyone is happy, young and old, for their spiritual regeneration. In many villages where there is a church, the baptism took place in baptismal fonts, while elsewhere it was performed in the sea or in a river. This day was a great event and it was celebrated in both spiritual and material ways, with bountiful meals offered to the faithful. Moreover, with the blessings of His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore, the consecration of the church of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos was conducted. The service was rather long but the experience was unprecedented for everyone, since it is not often performed. This year our
Ecclesiastical Seminary has 15 students, who have come from several parts of Madagascar. This seminary prepares our future priests and catechists, who will consolidate our many parishes that lack a pastor. The great number of people converting to Orthodoxy has led to the establishment of many new parishes that are short of not only a priest but also a church. With the help of God and of pious donors, two new churches are already under construction, and we hope that they will soon reach completion and start operating. In July, thanks to the generous donation of a devout Christian from Thessaloniki, one more school opened its doors in a distant part of Madagascar. The
missionary work is a work of God, more particularly of the Holy Spirit. Many times, strange things- material as well as spiritual- happen, which we do not dare ask for or even imagine, and this is the way that the Church keeps advancing for the glory of God. Many a time we are confronted with various difficulties and problems that seem humanly insoluble, but in a miraculous manner God provides the solution, “with the temptation, also the outlet� as the Bible says. Let us pray that God will send forth more laborers into his harvest, for the laborers are truly few. †Ignatios of Madagascar
15
KENYA - Nairobi
The only meal of the day Dear friends of the Mission, Sitting in my office and planning the daily schedule, I suddenly noticed someone come in. It was the person in charge of the kitchen for the little children who we offer breakfast and lunch daily. He stood in front of me and courteously as well as shyly said to me: ÂŤYour Eminence, we have entered a new week, today is Wednesday and you have not yet given us the money for the food program. I ask for your advice so that I can explain the situation to the food suppliers and know what to do with the preparation of breakfast and meals. We are talking about the food program that covers the feeding costs for the 350 children of the 16
St. Clement Kindergarten and Elementary school, which is located in the area of our Metropolis. It is easy for anyone to understand how difficult as well as embarrassing my position was. Unfortunately, that was not the first time such a thing was happening, since there is no permanent and solid support in this program, as our Metropolis has so many other similar programs to fund in our various orphanages and schools. In no case shall we leave these children hungry no matter how slender our means are due to the global economic crisis, which has affected us in recent years in all the fields of our missionary activity. We have faith in the love, mercy and infinite
condescension of our Lord, which are always revealed in similar cases. We are grateful to all those who come to our assistance and support us, especially in the field of education, with sponsorships regarding these little children, all of whom come from poor families or are orphaned. This is why we make an earnest appeal to you to invite all the kind-hearted people who are willing to support our food program for these children, who under other circumstances would starve to death. Bear in mind that this food
we offer is the only meal of the day. We know that at night they will sleep hungry! This is why we try to find ways and means so that in the afternoon when they are leaving, to be given a sandwich for supper. For the time being, we humbly request that you support us with the amount of 5 (five) thousand euro. We would like to thank you in advance and express our deep gratitude to you all. With warm missionary greetings and fervent wishes, †Makarios of Nairobi
17
CONGO BRAZZAVILLE
For God Loves a Cheerful Giver…
Every man coming into this world has derived from God, since he is a creature of His love. Therefore, Orthodoxy, the true family of God, is the natural state for man. Seeking God is as natural as being thirsty and seeking water, or being hungry and seeking food. Of course, we, Greeks, have had the blessing to be born in an Orthodox place, in a place “soaked” in immaculate Orthodoxy since the early apostolic times. It is not accidental the fact that Saint Lydia of Philippi, who got the holy baptism from the hands of Saint Paul in AD 49 in the Zygactes River in Eastern Macedonia, is the first European to embrace Christianity! Therefore, we have the privilege to 18
be spiritually edified in the Church from our infancy. However, in the contemporary missionary field things move the other way around. The inextinguishable attraction towards God that burns in the people’s souls becomes the magnet and the mystical voice that calls the Orthodox Church to the depths of tropical rainforests to articulate the word of salvation and preach the “Unknown God”, whom our brothers have been seeking for centuries. And because these people still preserve an honest intention, a simplistic way of thinking and a humble spirit, they accept the certainty of God’s existence much more naturally and spontaneously.
In our thought and heart we still keep alive the first encounter we had with the Orthodox Pygmies in the North of the Congo Republic six years ago. This is an ancient people living in the tropical forests, subsisting on what nature has to offer, heartily courteous and goodhearted. When I met them, they didn’t speak about problems or future plans. Their language lacks a future tense; there is no “will” in their dialect. Using the present tense in their talks, they experience in practice the constant present of the liturgical time, without plans for tomorrow! Being their bishop, I tried to gradually delve into the Pygmy
mindset and, in awe I realize that God has well prepared the ground in the people’s souls. Their daily life, even before they came to know the Church and be illumined by the Holy Spirit, professed this inquiry. The Pygmies worshipped, among others, the “unknown Creator of the world”, God, whom in their unique dialect they call “Kumba.” According to their worldview, the creation has always been sacred as a Kumba’s creature. Nobody can be rude against it. Nature gives everyone as much as they need to survive. For them it is a great faux pas to destroy the forest. You can only take whatever you need, nothing more. The baptism of the
Candies for the Pygmies' children
19
first Pygmy in the Oubangui River was the dawning of the Orthodox Mission in the northern Congo Republic. Just like Saint Lydia’s baptism on the banks of the river Zygactes. All these prepared the ground for them to seek Orthodoxy on their own. They tirelessly looked for the Creator, they sought and they found. His providence unreservedly declares that the people of the jungle, the short Pygmies, are our true brothers who embrace the Church and along with us confess and worship the resurrected Christ. It rests with our own love and decision to reveal to them the face
20
of God with words of life and deeds of love, both spiritual and material. For centuries the Lord has blessed us to trumpet His orthodox faith to the world. Let’s not turn our back on the Lord’s commandment: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” As another Simon of Cyrene, it is your help that lifts the Cross which Christ carries all the way into the jungle, so that the propagation of the gospel in those rugged regions of Earth will be carried on and Christ will be resurrected in the hearts of our brothers. “For God loves a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7). † Panteleimon of Brazzaville & Gabon
MALAWI
Church Consecration and Deacon Ordination Dear friends of the Mission, We are writing these lines to share with you the joyous events that are taking place in Malawi. We all know how important, holy and sacred it is for our Orthodox Church to consecrate a temple. And this holy event took place a few days ago in this third world country of Malawi. That was a momentous event of historic importance with great spiritual benefit to all of us. If you consider the fact that for about 2000 years there was no consecration of an Orthodox church in this country, you can understand what a great honor we were made worthy of. The blessings are plentiful. God poured out on us the Holy Spirit in rich abundance to dwell here per-
manently. It is true that in the past 5 years churches have begun to be opened here in Malawi. So it was time for the great church of Sts. Constantine and Helen to be consecrated in Boutanyama. O God, what a blessing! The crowd was gathered, and along with their energetic priest, indigenous Fr. Ioakeim, was in anticipation of our arrival. Indeed, early in the morning several Malawian priests and I were there, having taken with us all the liturgical equipment required for the consecration. The service began with everyone chanting joyfully. The bishop lays the holy relics on the holy altar, sanctifying it this way. Prior to that comes the procession outside and 21
From the consecration service around the church. The flock follows. Totally new things for them! Inside the jungle, among their mud huts, a church has been built, and is now being consecrated. They are watching full of awe, emotion and curiosity. The hours are flowing! We put many names of the living and the dead along with the holy relics on the holy altar. Strong moments indeed! Eternal be the memory of those who built it. And after the bishop seals the sacred relics, he anoints it with the Holy Myrrh. All the priests together, with ample care and love, wash it and scent it. And after laying the vestments, the Divine Liturgy is slowly beginning. 22
Blessings do not stop here, though... On the same day, the ordination of the indigenous catechist Basil to the diaconate is scheduled. Our joy could not possibly be described. Basil is being ordained and the faithful are crying: Worthy! Worthy! We all know how charismatic and dedicated our new deacon is. He loved Christ and the Church with all his heart and immediately wanted to serve it. The sacrifice he made was great, for while he had a good job, he resigned in order to be wholly given to “the service of Christ and his neighbor�. He wants the Orthodox faith to spread in every single village or city and reach
every corner of this country. That is why he is struggling for that goal. And above all, he has realized that prayer is what will attract the Holy Spirit, so that it will illumine people to know our holy faith. He has learned to pray the Jesus prayer, make prostrations and the supplication to the Virgin Mary, perform the Matins and the Vespers services‌ He delights in doing the silent prayer, and he is always seen with a prayer rope in his hand. Then the bishop blessed the cauldrons with the food, which was enough for the entire parish and was welcomed by the whole village with great joy. They had a feast. How could we leave them hungry? And after the bishop blessed the
food, they all sat down and ate and talked again and again about the joyous events of the day. The feeling that comes out of the hearts of all of us is deep gratitude to the Triune God. Our hearts are shouting. Thank you, God. Thank you, for here, in distant Malawi, faith is taught, churches are built, a multitude of our African brothers are sanctified. There is no higher good than the Orthodox faith. And this faith is blooming and bearing fruit here in Malawi, thanks to the continued support of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. May we soon have more events like those and experience similar moments of joy and thanksgiving. Amen! Fr.Ermolaos Iatrou
Group weddings
23
Νόστης Ψαρράς 24
Soup kitchen for children in Iringa, Tanzania
25
CONGO (DRC) - Kinshasa
Shipments of Love The Mission is a constant course towards the Kingdom of God. A liberating bugle call to the humankind that is tormented by heresies, pagan traditions, subordination of men to the ruler of this century, the devil. In this struggle, there are times that you feel the earth move under your feet and yourself sink, you feel that all the striving and the sacrifices of those who have struggled so far are going in vain. But then you see God’s hand grabbing hold of you, propping you up and crying aloud “Fear thou not; I have overcome the world.” Few, very few people fight on the front line. They can be count-
26
ed on the fingers of one hand. You take courage when you remember the struggle of the first missionary in the Congo, Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos. Lonesome, old, in fragile health, with severe headaches, he walked down the heart of Africa, accompanied by his also advanced in age niece, Sister Olga, proclaiming Christ. You can see him unafraid going into the houses of the sects and fearlessly telling them “you are wrong; if you want to be saved, come to Orthodoxy.” Recounting the history of the Orthodox Church from the time of Jesus until that day and emphasizing that
we have changed nothing. Αs Christ taught us, as the Holy Apostles and their successors handed it down to us, so we accept and we believe and we preach… This encourages us to go on. And then come to your ears the words of Archbishop Anastasios of Albania to his first partners in the resurrection of the Albanian Church: “God will not abandon us”. You see the hand of God raising you up and sustaining you and in it you see your brothers, those whom Father Chrysostomos named “remissionaries,” reaching out their hands, and you hear their voices resound-
ing from the ends of the earth, from thousands of miles away: “Go forth, we are here for you.” This gives you courage; and then you kneel before the Crucifix and ask for forgiveness for your cowardice and you raise with new determination, new resolutions, new strength, feeling lonely no more. This is what happened in late September and early October this year. Food supplies were running out, the seventy children in the boarding house of our Theological School would soon have nothing to eat and the schools were about to open but there was no money to pay
27
the teachers. The construction work of our small hospital in a Kinshasa slum was progressing very slowly and we had to attend to its equipment, the number of patients was constantly growing but we could give them no aid for the purchase of drugs, for medical exams or for their hospitalization. Moreover, the “Voice of Orthodoxy” radio station, the voice that goes into every home and offers the Orthodox teaching and catechism, was in danger of being silenced, for we could not afford to pay the pe-
28
troleum for its operation. Fortunately this sorrow has been replaced by relief thanks to a voice from Thessaloniki: “we will fight along you as we have done before, we will become “Cyrenians.” A heartwarming rally of the youth of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity and of people young and old, all sensitive to human suffering and interested in the propagation of the gospel, led to the gathering of food supplies and other stuff necessary for the continuation of the Mission in the heart of Africa. To this call responded Friends of the
Loading the second container for Kinshasa
Mission from all over Greece: Athens, Veria, Naousa, Katerini… A real miracle. A voice resounded: you are not alone, we, “remissionaries”, stand by your side. Not in words but in deeds. Take heart and move forward, all you ministering in the heart of Africa, in the Congo. Thus from the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity set off two containers to Kinshasa. How could we not kneel down again and give thanks to the All-benevolent God, give glory to Him and ask Him in tears: “Protect, O Lord, all those who offered and helped for
the shipment of these two containers; grant them your earthly and heavenly goods!” This is the only thing but also the holiest one we can do for all of them, especially for the President, the members of the Fraternity, the partners and the donors of the Holy Diocese of Kinshasa, to whom we also owe a hearfelt “thanks” and a deep gratitude that naturally springs from each one of us, those assisting in our ministry work, our students, our poor and ailing natives. From the Holy Metropolis 29
TANZANIA - Arusha
Our new church in Ibongo
Dear Brothers in Christ, Lately, in the blessed field of Mission and always by the grace of God, we have experienced many and great blessings which I wish to share with you because to a great extent, we owe their realization to you. On July 30th, we conducted the service for the laying of the foundation stone of the Church dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Savior and to St. Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite in the village of Ingagidugu, which is perched on a beautiful mountain at a height of 2,000 meters. For many years we were performing the Divine Liturgy in a grass hut, which has recently been burned down; the only thing that was not destroyed in the fire was the carton where the Holy Vessels were kept! Our sorrow
30
for the destruction of the grass hut was replaced by relief thanks to the immediate response of your Fraternity and your wish to rebuild a stone church, which to us sounded like an answer to our prayers from Heaven. It seems that the Lord Himself is undertaking this work in His Almighty hands, and we are merely His laborers who minister to His plans. In August, an important project was completed; that of the bore drilling next to the Church of St. John the Theologian in Ibongo. We found a subterranean river at a depth of 110 meters in an area where the land is totally barren and burnedup, and both humans and livestock were suffering from severe water scarcity for many years. On the Feast day of St. John the Theologian,
that is to say, on September 26th, in the same village, we performed the church dedication as well as the first Divine Liturgy in the aforementioned church, whose construction was also funded by your revered Fraternity. A large number of faithful were gathered to venerate the Saint and render thanksgiving for the bore drilling and the beautiful church, which admittedly is the gem of the region. With one heart and one voice we prayed to the Merciful Lord for the repose of the soul of His servant Parthena, who did not live long enough to rejoice her own gift, the beauteous church that she herself donated. Undoubtedly, her tender soul from Heaven will be able to see it and will be filled with pride and joy. We say in our homeland, ÂŤOne swallow does not make a summer,Âť
which is true, because Mission and the Evangelization of nations is not the work of man, but a mandate which was given to the whole of the Church. This is what I was thinking on the way to a remote area, where we were invited to talk about our Orthodox faith. It is an area four hours distance by car, south of our Mission Center in Iringa region, where the inhabitants heard about our Church and with genuine interest and thirst for God, asked us to visit them. It is strange for the human mind to understand the manifold ways in which the Divine Grace works! It was there, in that distant village, Masenge, in the area of Dabanga in southern Tanzania that the people first heard about the Orthodox Church two thousand years after Christ! They were savoring our words like rain falling on a thirsty
31
land. For four hours, they were incessantly inquiring about our holy faith, thus revealing an unquenchable thirst to learn everything. They asked us not to forget them and visit them again to prepare them to receive the Holy Baptism. I could not help thinking then, “Where are the laborers of the vineyard? Where are the new priests who will undertake the holy mission of spreading the Word of God and preaching the Gospel? Unfortunately, lately, we the Orthodox have been competing with each other in order to prove who is more Orthodox than the other. This has resulted in schisms, accusations, and divisions ... and the blessed Mission field stays uncared for, unwatered and barren. Why, Oh Lord, should there be such decadence? When shall we wake up from
32
our deep miserable sleep? Where is the youth of our Orthodoxy? Where have the zeal and the enthusiasm for the dissemination and the sharing of the Gospel of Christ gone? Why have they been lost? In closing my article, with infinite gratitude and positive thinking I pray wholeheartedly to Him who said, « And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” (Matt. 10: 42), to give you your worthy salary and bless with His heavenly Grace your life and the works of your hands, and instill in the hearts of the Orthodox the zeal for Mission! Amen, may it be so! With sincere gratitude † Agathonikos of Arusha
Baptisms by His Grace bishop Agathonikos of Arusha
Where God Really Wanted... Wherever one serves the Lord and the Church, it is there that he finds joy and rest. This is the law and the criterion. The distinguishing feature which makes the man truly attracted and renders him unable to resist this inconsolable power, this mystical calling which will not hesitate to ask for even the ultimate sacrifice. What our Lord in John’s Gospel mentions as the highest of all sacrifices: «Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”, (John 15:13). Therefore, it is until there that one has to walk… Yes, even as far as there, in these dark paths of death, which, though, hide in them the Light and Peace of Christ. When one looks at the Crucified Christ, behind the real pain
of our Lord, behind His full of blood face and His firmly shut eyelids, His bloodstained Most Holy Body, one can distinguish three things: the first is obvious and, of course, it is nothing else but the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross. The second is immediately visible after the first one, and it is the form of His Most Holy Body which, though nailed to the Holy Tree, with modesty and humility takes His last breath on earth, His arms open, ready to embrace man, His child, who at that moment becomes His enemy and puts Him up on the wood of the Cross, which until then was considered utterly dishonorable. This is how our Lord delivers His spirit. This is the reason why the Wood which takes His form is consecrated, and now becomes
33
the overwhelming and noble trophy against the devil. Finally, behind all this, if one wants to look carefully, one will distinguish two great things: Peace and Rest. ÂŤThis is the day of restÂť. Indeed, there is no other greater donation, other expectation, other ending than the rest which the fine iconographer depicts on the face of Crucified Jesus. These three things, sacrifice love and rest of the soul, are the ultimate criteria for the choices we make in our life. Where one finds them, one should never let go of them but should keep them as something truly valuable, which will shine in front of them and help them go through the difficult times in life.
34
Ankilibe. Our few personal belongings have been loaded into the pirogue. I help our two guides, faithful lads of our coastal parish, to drop it into the water of the Indian Ocean. Golden blue sea! The wind, tired of blowing for so long, weak as well as aged but not forgotten companion of the South, comes and kisses the sail of the pirogue that we have already raised, and with as much strength has been left in it, blows it to the opposite shore. The burnt by the sun and the salt bodies of our two faithful guides, figures I had forgotten, are now passing again before my eyes, fighting with the sea, and driving the pirogue with the paddles where God really wanted ...to the opposite shore.
Liturgy in a strawhut-church by Fr. Polycarpos
Soalary. The opposite shore of the Bay of Toliara. It is late in the evening now, and all of us tired, disembark at the shore. We leave the pirogue on the beach and keep on walking. Anxiety reaches its highest point. We go through the village market. People can hardly remember you. Your feet are sinking in the sand, and now you are standing outside the hut of one of the catechumens. The voice comes out easily but your guts are burning inside of you as your anxiety is growing. «Where are you! I am the priest. «The father’s figure bashfully appears in the dark. He approaches me and greets me. He does not seem to have realized what is go-
ing on around him. He comes closer and embraces me. His arms tighten up around me. «Father, we did not expect to see you again.» We stayed up until late at night and we were talking. He was a father to seven children, one of whom, a little boy, had a hernia. Before I left, I had given him some money to have the child operated but I had also told him to pray for his child because God could heal it. The father, a simple-hearted man, said that during my absence, he had not forgotten my words and that his child had been cured without being operated. Simple, pure hearts, hearts that we, the people of the modern world, have denied and forgotten. People with simple
35
faith; poor creatures that struggle really hard to support their children and family. However, it is these people who see the miracle. We have ceased to see the wonders of life. The miracle of God. Now in the poor but so beautifully and warmly prepared hut, I can hear the sound of the waves of the Indian Ocean. The images seem to be rolling like a movie inside of you. The serene song of the sea. The children’s laughs. The catechetical sessions in the makeshift grass huts that are used as temporary churches. The sacred services underneath the «kili»trees, the traditional trees of the south. The people’s complaints. The poor mother who is try-
36
ing to breastfeed her little toddler from her withered breasts and asks for a little money to buy rice, some medicine. The songs of our youth, our festivals, the confessions under the sun, the baptisms, the diseases, the dangers, the hands of the robber, our dead children, the tears, the pain, a whole life! The sun is already rising and the bodies, dark figures, like the spirits of the people who you loved and who followed you to the distant land of ordeal, now come to life beside you, and you see them again struggle along with you so that you can reach where God really wanted! Fr. Polycarpos of Hagia Anna
Thoughts on Mission Traveling to Africa for the first time, I came across an unprecedented landscape‌ An awesome scenery of rare beauty and uniqueness was unwinding in front of me, but at the same time unknown and dangerous, perhaps because of the many diseases that plague the black continent. It seems that varied and intense feelings are generated in people involved in Mission. The thoughts that follow are a testimony of the soul. I had the impression that I was going to help in the Mission, but finally, when I saw children smiling and eyes glittered with joy, I realized that the one who was finally being helped was me. Many people are looking for diamonds and rubies in the earth,
ignoring the fact that offering joy and hope to our fellow human being is the most precious thing in the world. It is worth knowing to offer ourselves unconditionally, without limitations, barriers and borders. The children are the future and the hope of the world, they are our children and have equal rights in life. We do not have the right to remain indifferent to their suffering and cry and overlook their anguish, especially when this becomes a struggle for survival. All together we can work the miracle and change their everyday life. It is our duty, our obligation... When I first beheld all this huge work, I felt it was immeasurable. Then I drew courage from a story that I was told by His Grace
37
Father Agathonikos: A little girl was on a beach trying to save all the starfish that had been washed ashore and eagerly threw them back into the water one by one to help them live. But there were millions of starfish out of the water. At some point, her grandfather approached her and told her that it was impossible to save all the starfish. Then she looked at the palm of her hand where she was holding a starfish and said, looking into her grandfather’s eyes: «But at least, I can save the one that I am holding «, and she gently tossed it back into the sea to live. If all of us care about the «starfish» that fall on our way, then our world may slowly change ... What
38
Mission really needs most, though, is not the money as such, but human hearts with courage, a deep sense of honor, duty and self-sacrifice. Let us turn our thoughts to the Crucified Jesus, whose sacrifice did not concern a single nation or a group of people but was addressed to the entire world, regardless of color and language. Besides, the commandment of the Lord is clear: «Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”. Archimandrite Porphyrios Chancellor of the H. M. of Arusha
A new water project funded by our Fraternity
Incense Scent in the Heart of Africa Where the sky smiles and the earth assents, there is a miracle unfolding in front of you, as Orthodoxy takes its first steady steps! This time we are here in Southern Congo at the Holy Diocese of Katanga, whose see is in Kolwezi. Reaching this destination, you behold a small organized city: St. George’s Church, the episcopal office with the radio station, the hostels, the boarding school, the hall of events and seminars, the school building complex with Primary, Middle and High School, as well as warehouses, where the farm products of the Mission are stored. His Eminence Meletios surrounded us with cordial hospitality
throughout my stay along with Mrs. Angeliki Arnaouti, educator and secretary of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. Missionary Fr. Efthimios co-ordinated our program, attended to our needs, and at the same time oversaw all missionary work. Mrs. Theano, a formidable figure called «mother of the Mission», gave her tireless and cordial love daily, as she has been doing for 30 years now. The Mission in Kolwezi began in 1972 from the late missionary Fr.Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, the spiritual founder of our Fraternity. In 1973 he was succeeded by Father Amphilochios Tsoukos, who called over John, later Father 39
Cosmas of Gregoriou, who, with his sacrificial love and offer, consolidated the edifice of the Mission. Behind St. George’s Church is the grave of the late Fr. Cosmas, to whom we bow, paying tribute! He fell asleep in the Lord on January 27, 1989, after a road accident. Since 1989 his work has been continued by His Eminence Meletios, who has been rapidly increasing and enriching the legacy he has received. What he is particularly vigilant about is the spiritual training of the locals in the Orthodox Faith, transferring the spirit of the Athonite tradition into the liturgi-
40
cal life and instilling into them the experience of inner truth. For this reason, there are monthly seminars for priests, catechists and chanters, which are organized every year. Today, 160 parishes and over 60,000 Orthodox Christians are under the supervisory jurisdiction of the Holy Metropolis of Katanga. Another concern of the Mission is the consolidation of monasticism, which is the reason for the creation of the Holy Apostles Monastery a few years ago. All this time Abbot Barnabas has been making superhuman efforts for its proper operation. There is also a convent, that
Waiting in the queue for pumping clear water of Saint Nektarios, with 5 nuns and their Abbess, Mother Markella. The native nuns also serve at the administration of the Mission Hospital. By running our daily schedule, we arrived at the wonderful hospital, whose operation is perfect and exemplary. There, I was given a comfortable practice room to conduct daily ophthalmological tests to the residents of Kolwezi. Our account at the end of the trip was full of rich experiences. I feel deeply touched by these people, whose life is filled with devoutness, joy and gratitude, for the gates of the Orthodox Mission were opened to them, and they were offered the
treasure of Truth. And now on the way back, I am thinking of our little homeland, Greece, where there is a tree planted like the one that produces incense. For the incense to spurt from the tree trunk as a distillate, the tree has to be carved in many spots, exuding the product with the finest fragrance all over the world, from East to West and from North to South! The more they wound this ÂŤtreeÂť, the more intensely the fragrance of Greek Orthodox culture is offered as a sacrifice to the peoples of this world! Katerina Alexandrou Ophthalmologist - Board Member 41
Energizing the Mission As a man of Overseas Mission, I have long wanted to write down a few thoughts of mine. It has been years since His Eminence Metropolitan of Kinshasa -with tears of anguish and pain accompanied by fervent prayer- started to knock on doors imploring assistance in a matter that is selfevident: the financial sustainability of the only Theological School that exists in Africa, in the city of Kinshasa. All this time his sole concern has been to keep it open, as this precious spiritual beehive, created in Central Congo by the grace of Christ, this unique spiritual center where young people are studying Orthodox Theology, is the future of the Black Continent and the pride of the Church. The operating costs are unmanageable. Along with the region’s only Orthodox radio station, they exceed the amount of ₏ 9,000 per month. Our anguish peaked when His Eminence Archbishop Nikiforos told us that the School and the station were on the verge of closure. Electric power in the area is available during the late evening and for only a few hours; as a result, the daily needs of the School can only be met with the help of oil generators, the use of which greatly increases the operational costs. It is sad and at the same time humiliating for an Orthodox Mission after so many years of presence to be unable to maintain a Theological School whose teaching staff includes University Professors as well, and a radio station. We will end up as an example to be avoided and as the laughing stock of the other denominations. This is why, with the help of God, we have set a sacred goal : that of gathering our forces to get solar panels bought and built so that free electric power will be generated for the needs of our orthodox brothers. In this project, which is of vital importance, we seek your support and make an earnest appeal to you for assistance. Charalampos Metallidis Board President 42
Carriers of Hope Hey you over there at the crack of dawn, Carriers-missionaries of cordial love, I gratefully greet you with the flag of ideals. Others are sleeping under the earth Awaiting heavenly reward. Others, following the commandments of Jesus Christ, Preach the holy Gospel to the peoples of the world. With brotherly love I take the liberty To get into your humble minds And convey shady images of the time. Guided here we are walking on a carpet Of ashes of burnt human values. The days are baptized in a turbid lake With names of Anguish, Injustice, Despair ... Despair is already withering the flower of optimism. Selfishness leaves dirty stains on the spirit, Which does not bear humble innocence. Dazed by the height of pride, We are trying to drink some water from a little basket. Hypocrisy stars on the stage of life But betrayal, too, is a nauseating act. Fake words do not embellish the soul, Like the bats that hide the moon. We are heading towards tomorrow With a crutch of endurance, Taking care not to step on the sunbeams. It is to you, the unsung missionaries, I would like to express Sincere thoughts accompanied by sadness... We do not hear the warning bell of the sacred rules. Woe to us if hatred begins to suck the blood ... Nostis Psarras 43
Memories of Fr. Cosmas of Gregoriou On January 27, 30 years will have been completed since the unexpected departure for the Lord of the pioneer missionary priest Fr.Cosmas of Gregoriou, who with his unparalleled diligence watered the roots of the Orthodox Mission and made it grow deeper and settle in the land of Katanga, in Southern Congo. From the very first moment, the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity stood by his side and published his letters regularly from the day he went to Africa in August 1975 to the end. We regularly sent him financial assistance and listened to his concerns. To honor his sacred memory, we publish in our magazine one of his letters that dates back to 1985. Kolwezi, September 24, 1985 Dear Doctor, Rejoice in the Lord along with Mrs. Elli and your good associates. As you know, in our area, AIDS has afflicted 10% of the population. About 60% suffer from venereal diseases, tuberculosis and so many other epidemic diseases, such as cholera, etc. Therefore, no matter how many measures one can take, one will not be able to escape the nets of the epidemics unless God protects him. This week we are struggling to cope with a heavy workload in all fields. Yesterday I was in Likasi to serve our faithful there. From there, I sent 44
Father Petros to Lubumbashi, along with other priests, to baptize about 80 children of Christians. I have sent you the two names you asked for. Apart from the heavy workload, we are confronted with temptations from the devil, who follows us in close pursuit in order to tire us and be able to move unhindered. The day before yesterday, while the boarding school children were on the way to the boarding school, they were attacked by tramps that threw stones at them and ripped apart their coats. Within the precincts of Saint Nektarios church, which is located in the suburb, we began an effort to start a convent with seven girls as novice nuns. The girls are struggling, but Satan is furious and has launched a terrible war against us. These days, we are enclosing the monastery with a stone wall. It has been three days now that tramps have been hanging around the wall in the evening hours, as in the case of Lot when they were asking for the angels, and have been calling us names, because, according to them, these girls are supposed to be free to go with them and not be closed in like European chickens in a poultry farm, and other things like that. Two days ago, the truck with the workers from the forest was late to come. So, at about 10 o’clock in the evening, on our way there with Fr. Cyril and two young men to see what was happening, we had a puncture. At that time, the one lad, Alexis, started to walk in the night, crossing 12 km of forest to get the spare wheel with another car and return. Fr. Cyril stayed
45
inside the car, and the writer along with the other young man, Andreas, walked 7 kilometers in the forest to find the truck. I do not mention all this stuff about the forest for the adventure, but because such incidents comprise a part of our everyday life. What I want to emphasize here is the temptations of Satan. In both the first and the second youth that I sent to the premises of a company to make a phone call (if there was a telephone), a column of fire (Tshiyeye) appeared 3 times to the first and 4 to the second in order to scare them and intimidate them. They prayed the rosary and continued walking trembling. Scared though they were, they took up prayer again. It was past midnight when I reached the area of temptations. There was a nearby village where live magicians, who do terrible things! Such incidents that last for three to four days need to be dealt with promptly. Besides these, there are other urgent matters, like the orphans, the flock of faithful, conducting worship services, our missionary journeys, damage and machinery repairs, all issues that cannot be postponed, therefore, it is only natural that we are exhausted. That’s why over exhaust has become a permanent situation in our everyday reality. Thank you for the two million drachmas that you sent us, one for the poor and one for the boarding school. With love in Christ, Archim. Cosmas
Memorial of Emotion
A wounded age brings grief back into my heart as memory recounts years from the heavenly journey of the beloved in Christ brother Fr. Cosmas of Gregoriou. I bend my knees before the missionary testimony and the service of barefoot poverty of a light-filled fighter with vivid superiority in spirit Nostis Psarras 46
A new program: Priest Sponsorships Since Pentecost, missionaries have not stopped traveling miles and miles away to visit “the neighbor near and afar”, and to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God. Two thousand years later, the means of transport may have changed radically, but the Orthodox mission is still a kenotic move that is made by very few towards very many. As before, even today, missionaries, wherever they go, still ordain priests who will undertake preaching the people until the time that the missionary will be able to re-visit his people, to whom he spoke the word of God. These priests undertake a work that is unique as well as soul-redeeming, but at the same time they must take care of the maintenance of their family. More often than not Mission itself cannot afford to provide them with a permanent salary, and if it does so, the amount of money is by no means enough to help them make ends meet. For this reason, our Fraternity has decided to create a new program: the Clergy Sponsorship Program. Through this program you are given the opportunity to support an Orthodox clergyman in one of the Mission countries by paying a monthly contribution of € 20 for his salary. You will receive a photograph and some background information while each year you will be sent a special report on the progress of the Mission in the region of his ministry. Thus, the priest will be given a decent salary so that he can be devoted to the lofty vocation of priesthood. For subscriptions, call us or visit orthodoxmission.org.gr/priest-sponsorship.
Columns of Gratitude
From 1st August to 31st October 2018, you donated the following amounts for the Orthodod Missions: • General needs 43.788 € • Educational sponsoring 2.990 € • Humanitarian aid 21.600 € • Clinics 2.130 € • Church building 19.190 € • Bible distribution 475 € • Water projects 11.880 € • Schools 430 € • Soup kitchens 5.150 € • Orphanages 25 € • Baptisms 4.020 €
Attributions
This work is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Similarly licensed works have been used on the respective pages:
4 q phia 8 Pauline Guilmot 12 Alex Groundwater 16 serena_tang
47