At the beginning of February, by the grace of God, we visited once again the capital city of Libreville, Gabon, the second country under the spiritual jurisdiction of our Holy Diocese. This pastoral tour began on February 2, when we met with Orthodox faithful of the city and supported them spiritually. The next day, we were received by the Gabonese Minister of the Interior, also responsible for religious affairs, who presented us with the official recognition of our Diocese by the State of Gabon. This development made us very happy, as it paves the way for us to become more active and to build Holy Temples. This news was also reported on state television, which highlighted the activities of our Church and asked us for an interview. In the afternoon of the same day, at the residence of the Consul of Serbia, we celebrated the Divine Liturgy and preached the Divine Word, with the prayerful participation of Gabonese, Russian, Serbian and Syrian brothers and sisters. At this gathering, a holy relic of St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol, was venerated, which we brought with us for the blessing of the faithful. At the end, we offered everyone the French version of the Divine Liturgy of St. Chrysostom. The expense of this publication was covered by a donation from an anonymous brother through the Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Missionary Work. We thank you wholeheartedly, because with this offering our flock is given the opportunity to deepen its understanding of the sacrament of the Eucharist.
The Russian ambassador, having been informed about the relic of Saint Luke, invited us to the Russian embassy, where we presented it for veneration and celebrated a short prayer for the Orthodox employees of the embassy. On the morning of February 5, we left Gabon and found ourselves in the town of Impfondo in northern Congo to visit the indigenous faithful. Immediately, we met with the ecclesiastical committee of the parish of Saints Timothy the Baptist and Nicholas, as well as with the catechumens, to whom we addressed fatherly speeches in view of their baptism. The following day, February 6, we had many hours of cooperation with the contractor supervising the parish church under construction and were pleased with the progress of the work. This was followed by the baptism of indigenous neophytes of all ages in the Oubangui River. Addressing the new believers on the river bank, I theologically interpreted the meaning of the Holy Sacrament of Holy Baptism, expressed the joy of the local Church and urged them to become practical preachers of the Gospel sermon and models of virtue to their fellow men and women as Orthodox citizens of their noble homeland. On the morning of Sunday, February 7, we celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the rented farmhouse where the Orthodox faithful temporarily meet, to whom we offered the version of the Divine Liturgy.
The same afternoon, we went to the rainforest, where the Pygmy tribe, who have converted to the Orthodox faith, live. After being graciously welcomed and addressed by the over-aged chief of the tribe, the Bishop spoke simply about the liturgical life of the Church and the importance of participation in it. Furthermore, he offered a sufficient amount of salt to preserve meat, soap and matches, materials necessary for the indigenous people’s hunting lifestyle. He also presented to the venerable chief a plea for the construction of a special area within the reservation, according to the traditional way of building the tribal lodges, so that the new Impfondo chaplain could visit the rainforest every month and celebrate the Eucharist, for the convenience of the older Pygmies, who have mobility problems. The request was enthusiastically accepted by the chief, who will arrange for this. This weekly tour was a great blessing both for our Orthodox faithful, who became more connected to our Church, and for us. We praise God, who in our day and despite adverse circumstances draws so many souls to faith and transforms people’s lives.
† Brazzaville and Gabon Panteleimon
