From the Holy Metropolis of Kenya
With the help and grace of God, this year marks fifty years since the foundation of the Holy Metropolis of Kenya. A period that from the time of its foundation had as its main objective the evangelization of the tribes of East Africa, something that was achieved through the efforts and sacrifices of the Hierarchs who served the place, but also of the unsung Missionaries, clergy and laity. Throughout these fifty years, in adverse and often complex situations, it has become clear that the work of evangelization belongs exclusively to the energies and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Many times we have referred to and marvelled at how the Lord acts out of infinite love and mercy towards every human being. This year’s 50th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Metropolis presents a work, which theTopical Church has undertaken since that time, to consolidate and promote Orthodox spirituality and faith in all areas. The Holy Metropolis today, apart from the two major Educational Institutions, the Orthodox Patriarchal Ecclesiastical School “Makarios III” and the Orthodox Teachers’ College “Clement of Alexandria”, maintains and operates more than fifteen Gymnasiums, thirty Primary and Kindergartens, a School of Sewing, a School of Computers, a School of Social Studies. Also on a daily basis a number of children (1500) from the Kindergartens and Primary Schools receive breakfast and lunch. Another number of children receive lunch every Saturday in about ten parishes. Christian groups of women, men, youth and children are organized in all the twenty metropolitan districts of Kenya, with programmes of catechism, music and drama, spiritual meetings on Orthodox faith, traditional dances and songs, sports and football matches, competitions, poetry, drama, etc. The Holy Metropolis of Kenya maintains the first Orthodox orphanage with one hundred and ten children at the foot of Mount Kenya, in the Neri region. In this orphanage the children have permanent accommodation, food, clothing and footwear, as well as education. A second orphanage is under construction. Some five thousand children and young people are attending secondary education and universities and colleges in Kenya. Another number of young people are attending universities in America, Greece and Cyprus on scholarships. Teams of volunteer doctors from Cyprus (former Doctors of the World), the Sophia Foundation from Cyprus and the Netherlands, Doctors of the Heart from Greece are often in Kenya on special medical missions. A medical mission is also being sent by the Hunger Relief Organisation. From the Orthodox Missionary Center of America, two missions usually come from time to time, dealing with catechesis in remote areas of Kenya and the building of new churches, schools and medical centers. This year seventy young people from various African countries are studying at the Patriarchal School. Liturgical life is the focus of the students’ activities. All the sacred services are celebrated without interruption, morning and evening on a daily basis. The Bishop officiates every Thursday and Saturday in the Holy Church of the Patriarchal School or on other days when there is a major celebration.
The programme of the School includes the translation of our liturgical services and texts into African dialects. There are already hundreds of such translations in circulation, serving more than thirty tribes. In their free time, the seminarians practice sports, soccer or study in the library. A number of students, who have shown particular talent in music, attend various conservatories and other music schools. The Holy Metropolis also actively participates and is a member of the group of those Churches that fight against and educate accordingly, about the incurable disease, AIDS. For this purpose, special seminars are organized by trained speakers on the subject. The Orthodox Patriarchal School, as mentioned above, attaches great importance to the field of Holy Orders and music. A very well organized choir is visiting Cyprus for the second consecutive year, where musical and dance performances are given with church music and traditional dances. The building of holy temples continues in all regions and tribes of Kenya. Already His Eminence has consecrated about fifty holy temples. Every year the Metropolis publishes the official calendar, which contains all the details of the life and activities of the local Church, as well as Selections from the History of the Orthodox Church in Kenya. This annual calendar contains the names and addresses as well as the churches of the two hundred and twenty priests of the Metropolis. Also, a historical review of the history of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in the African continent is provided. Due to the ongoing drought, the Holy Metropolis is leading the way, offering food, clothing and bedding to the affected areas, and in the refugee camps, since the beginning of the internal unrest, the Metropolis has continued to provide humanitarian aid. His Eminence frequently visits all these affected areas and relieves, in word and deed, the suffering people. In the medical field, the Metropolis has established medical centres in a large number of parishes, providing medical care free of charge or with a symbolic financial contribution. Throughout the year, the Metropolis of Kenya is visited by visitors from America, Greece, Cyprus, Australia, Finland, Russia, who offer voluntary work in the educational institutions, clinics and places of worship. These visitors are those who support the work of the Mission and are considered the sponsors, for the building of the temples, schools and medical centres. In the year 2009, H.H.H. Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria visited Kenya twice, who had the opportunity to visit places of worship and medical centres, as well as educational institutions, to lay foundation stones, to inaugurate holy temples and to attend the end-of-course ceremonies of both the Patriarchal School and the Teachers’ College. The presence of the Patriarch of Alexandria in Kenya revitalized and uplifted the morale of the faithful and the clergy of the local Church. For more than twenty-five years a special seminary for catechist candidates has been running. Every Saturday, more than sixty catechists gather and attend catechetical classes taught by the teachers of the Patriarchal School.
The great feasts of Orthodoxy, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Agios Theophania, are celebrated with great Byzantine splendour with the participation of clergy and people, as well as the numerous choirs. Holy Week and the Vespers of Love give a special picture, so much so that Kenyan television channels and the press relay clips and reports, which highlights the role of Orthodoxy. Also, due to the increase in the number of believers, group baptisms are being performed, especially in the grounds of the Metropolis and new homes of Orthodox belonging to different tribes are being created, especially in the grounds of the Metropolis’ training schools. Thus, on Christmas, New Year’s Day, Theophany and on the day of the feast of the Holy Church of St. Makarios, the Patriarchal School, solemn Divine Liturgies were celebrated by His Eminence with the participation of a large number of priests and deacons. His Eminence was briefly overwhelmed by the contribution of the late Archbishop Makarios to the work of spreading Orthodoxy on the African continent. This was followed by a group baptism in the large baptistery of the Patriarchal School, where once again His Eminence addressed the newly born Orthodox. Afterwards a rich meal was served to all. It is also reported that recently the inauguration of two new holy churches was celebrated, St. Marina’s Church in Nadi and St. Demetrios Church in Lukari, Western Kenya. Finally, the Holy Week services in English, the Holy Gospel in Swahili and English, Orthodox Catechism in Kikuyu, Mass of the Presanctified Gifts in English-Swahili, various prayers in English-Lugandese, were released within days.
Thank God for everything.
