Written by the Most Reverent Bishop Daniel of Aksum
His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa, confirms the “All Africa” words in his title by constantly visiting the spiritual children of his jurisdiction in their own land, however painful this may be due to socio-political or climatic conditions, alleviating to the best of his ability their multiple and difficult to meet needs.
It is true that he cannot possibly solve so many difficult to deal with problems of his flock in so many countries of the vast African continent. But can the father of each family also solve all the problems of his children? What does each parent usually do? He embraces them affectionately, embraces them soothingly, comforts them! And they know that the Father is there to support them!
The Alexandrian Primate has been doing the same thing throughout the years of his blessed patriarchy: He embraces all the native African brethren, whether rulers or chiefs, honors them, enters their huts, kneels beside them, dusts himself with the dust of their aching or even bloody land, dances in unison when they dance around him, weeps with those weeping, accepts their gifts of enthusiasm, eats of their food. Thus in these things, here and now, the Pauline word is made flesh: “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some!”
I had the extraordinary blessing of accompanying our Patriarch during his missionary visit to Kenya for the enthronement of their Graces Bishops Neophytos of Eldoret and Panaretos of Nyeri. Crowds of Orthodox Kenyans gave their Father an unprecedented welcome, demonstrating their commitment to the Throne of St. Mark, from which they received the Light of Faith! As part of this unique missionary journey, we also visited Northern Kenya and indeed one of the poorest regions of Africa, Turkana. That is, literally, “a dry and thirsty land where there is no water”, according to the psalm. There the Patriarch went to meet his forgotten children, to strengthen and comfort them, to tell them that there is hope, which is Jesus Christ!
The poor, but ever smiling, tribal people, along with their chiefs, paid extraordinary tribute to the white Father of the Black Continent! They are enthusiastic, proud, decent and dignified in every way! And there, they offer him ornaments from their ornaments, colours from their colours, fruit from their land, that is, the best they can have in their poverty! And the Patriarch, honoring the hosts, literally becomes one of them. He is constantly humbling himself, breaking the barriers of the offices that we, the “white collar” Christians have unfortunately built. And we all admire him, because we know that the true honor towards his office is the love of our poor brothers and sisters. What should the Patriarch think or say to them? “Don’t dress me with your hat and your garments, or else I will not taste your food because it is not befitting the Patriarchal office”?
Let us, clergy and laity, take an example from the dusty and constantly dirty shoes of our Patriarch, from his sweat-soaked marches across the length and breadth of this continent! Mission means emptying of ourselves, cutting of our desires, deprivation of our rest, putting out of our comforts. We must be down to earth, face reality and confess it, which is why we dedicated our heart, soul, life and being to Africa.
The natives of the African land know who loves unpretentiously. Patriarch Theodore II is not only unpretentious, but in every case he opens his whole self to the other, the much-wounded neighbour; he knows how the first becomes the last, how souls are fermented and formed to know the Loving Christ, how the poor peoples of his patriarchal jurisdiction will become citizens of Heaven and feel that “those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing”!
