“History teaches us that all missionaries sprang from the monasteries, and the missionaries, wherever they went, founded monasteries
And because Orthodoxy without monasticism is unthinkable, in November 2006, the Abbot of the Holy Mass of Saint Gregory of Mount Athos, Archimandrite Archimandrite Gregorios. George gave us a blessing-command to celebrate a centenary ritual in the monastery’s metochion in St. George of Thessaloniki, with the purpose of using the “proceeds” for the foundation of a men’s monastery in Kolwezi, Congo. The Holy Consecration for the foundation stone was celebrated by Bishop Meletios Gregoriatis in September 2009 and in 2012 most of the work was completed. In October 2012, Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, during his tour of the Congo, also performed the traditional blessing.
Fr. George entrusted the new Monastery to the worthy monk Fr. Barnabas Gregoriatis and, before his departure on November 4, 2013, he blessed him, giving him inspiring advice and his holy and touching blessings. His enthronement took place on April 21, 2014 and already the Monastery is operating according to the Athonite rite with three native novice monks. Archim. George Kapsanis participated in the divine life and love and, having suffered the “good change”, had accepted the universal vision and the apostolic responsibility of the Orthodox Church in the modern world regarding Christ’s commandment “Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. c. 19). This is why he considered that “mission is the evangelization of Christians who have never been Christians, as well as the re-evangelization of those who belong to the Church by name alone”, and he saw it as a necessity of the soul united to Christ, according to Paul, “It is not for me if I do not evangelize, for I have need” (1 Cor. i. 16).
And Fr. George could not give “sleep to his eyelids and sleep to his temples” in order to contribute to the evangelization of our brothers and sisters. Thus, when the late Hieromonk Kosmas Gregoriatis (Aslanidis) asked him in 1978 to approve his participation in the mission of Colosse, he first struck as the abbot of Mount Athos and immediately accepted his proposal, saying: “Thou, therefore, as thou hast departed, proclaim the Kingdom of God” (Luke i:60) to our Congolese brothers and sisters. On this occasion, Fr. Cosmas organized the missionary team in Colosse, which he continued to direct until his last days. He said the same words to his successor, Hieromonk Meletius, in 1989, and more recently to Hieromonk Barnabas, sending him to assume the episcopate: “evangelize and transplant to the African land the spirit, prayer and life of the Holy Mountain”! The history of the modern missionary era will record much about the contribution of I.M. Gregory in the Congo and especially of the pioneering abbot, Fr. For he renewed in our time the old missionary tactic of founding Holy Monasteries by contemporary missionaries. What a wonderful and divine work it would be if the renewal of this policy were carried out by other Holy Monasteries – male and female – which would allow some of their members to continue their sanctification in a “brother” monastery abroad. This act would constitute the greatest, the most blessed charity to all the faithful brothers and sisters of our Church. This is how, in our humble opinion, our true faith is demonstrated, and in the Lord’s commandment, “Go ye evermore and make disciples of the Gentiles…” and in the offer of monasticism. The necessity of these is also verified by the foundation of the 17 monasteries in North America.
Some people say, “When your yard is thirsty, don’t pour the water out.” But, my brothers and sisters, we must not forget that our courtyard is none other than the courtyard of Christ, and according to Orthodox teaching and worship, this courtyard is the whole world!
Our wish, therefore, and the wish of all the missionary scales, those who are unable to find monks and nuns for the foundation of two monasteries in their Metropolis, is that the late Abbot George Kapsanis will find imitators… Genito!
π. George Kouyoumtzoglou
