New Metropolitan in the Metropolis of Central Africa

Rev. Metropolitan Nikiforos (Mikrajananitis, in the world George Konstantinou), was born in Thessaloniki in 1949. After graduating from the Practical Lyceum of Thessaloniki, he attended the Ecclesiastical Training School of Thessaloniki (1967-1969).In 1975 he graduated from the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and in 1999 he was awarded a doctorate from the Department of Theology of the same School. In 1971 he became a monk in the Holy Patriarchal and Crusader Monastery of Agia Triad of Tzagarola in Chania. On August 22nd of the same year he was ordained deacon. In 1977 he moved to Mount Athos (Skete of St. Anne of Minor), being appointed professor at the Athonian Ecclesiastical Academy and then deputy Scholaarch, and in 1988, at the suggestion of the Holy Community of Mount Athos, he was appointed Scholaarch by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1978 he was ordained an elder by the Theophilic Bishop of Rhodostolos, Mr. Chrysostomos, and was later promoted to Archimandrite by His Eminence the Archbishop of the Holy See. Afterwards he was appointed Archbishop by the Bishop of Ierissos and Mount Athos, Mr. Nicodemus. In 1997 he resigned from the scholarchy of Athonias and at the invitation of Mak. After his resignation from the Athonite Church in Athens, he took over the organization of the first Ecclesiastical High School in Argyrokastro. Since 2006, he has been participating in the administration of the Orthodox University of Congo “St. Athanasios the Athonite”, where he teaches. He has authored many scientific studies and participated in various conferences in Greece and abroad. On October 7, 2009, at the recommendation of Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa, he was elected by the Holy Synod as Metropolitan of Central Africa, following the voluntary resignation of his predecessor, Monsignor Ignatius Madenlidis. After his retirement from office after his late retirement from the post of Archbishop of Athens, Ven. Metropolitan Nikephoros of Central Africa has a rich missionary activity, gained a lot of experience from his youthful years and is inspired by a fervent missionary zeal. This zeal was instilled in his soul from a young age by the first missionary of Africa, Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, who was also the spiritual director of the family. The following incident illustrates Fr. Nikiforos’ calling from God and the insightful gift of Fr. Chrysostomos: “When he was a small child, George Constantine was seriously ill with pimples and his brother Demetrios died instead. His father asked Fr. Chrysostomos: “Father, why didn’t God take George, who was sick, and take my other child, Demetrakis, who was strong?” And Fr Chrysostom replied, “Because he will save souls.” In 1963, when Doctor P. Papadimitrakopoulos was gathering a group of young people for the purpose of informing them on missionary issues, young George was among them. At that time the Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Missionary Work in Thessaloniki was an association called “the Friends of Uganda“. The group, in addition to the lectures given from time to time, such as by Mr. Anastasios Yiannoulatos, also raised money and sent parcels to support the missions in Africa. George Constantinou also actively participated in this effort. Even when Fr.

Nikiforos was a monk on Mount Athos, collecting money from the monasteries and the Cells of Athos and forwarding it to the Brotherhood for the needs of the Mission.

The ordination of Ven. Nikephoros

His ordination as bishop and high priest took place on October 24 at the Monastery of St. Sava in the Patriarchate of Alexandria, presided over by Mac. The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II, co-officiated by many Metropolitans and Abbots and in the presence of the faithful from Greece. During his address, Monsignor Nikephoros referred to the responsibility of the archpriestly ministry and expressed his gratitude to the Church of Alexandria and its venerable Primate for his election as bishop. Mac. Patriarch Theodore II in his speech among other things said: “Speaking of the Mission in the endless African expanses, we are essentially speaking of sacrificial love. It is a work of martyrdom, a testimony of Christ, a consecration complete without a middle way! The missionary offers everything, becomes a burnt offering and a sacrifice on the holy altar of charitable love for the humble African, in whose soul the conviction is born that for him too there is now a loving God and a man, the Missionary, who reveals to him the Eternal Truths of the words of Jesus, shares his poverty and anguish and sympathises with him in order to offer him those precious material goods which the developed world takes for granted for everyone. Thus the Apostolic ministry is extended through the ages, in space and time, and the God of love is revealed to all peoples.” We believe that both his brilliant and luminous ethos and his impeccable life, as well as his rich missionary experience in Africa and more recently in the Congo, are guarantees for the continuation of the brilliant missionary work left by his worthy predecessor missionary Rev. Ignatius Madenlidis.