“Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord”
This message was heard loudly at the arrival of the God-sent bishop of the Great Church of Christ, His Eminence Fr. Athanasios Kayembe, a fellow cyrenian of the great missionary HDB Pope and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria and all Africa Theodore II. His Beatitude, with the vote of the holy high priests of the throne on his holy initiative, established a new Diocese in West Africa with Fr. Athanasios’ election as the first bishop who was triumphantly welcomed by the people on the morning of Palm Sunday, April 28, 2024, in the diocese which includes three French-speaking states, those of Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso.
The establishment of the new diocese also answers the cry of a Cretan missionary who said: “Ring the bells of Orthodoxy everywhere in Africa”. This message, which means “Preach Christ, spread Orthodoxy in every corner of the African land”, is always implemented through the ancient Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa with the creation of new missionary dioceses.
Despite the difficult financial conditions in which our Patriarchate lives, it is deeply concerned about its missionary activities, which include its charitable work, as the long-suffering and much afflicted people of Africa are bleeding unjustly due to some people’s selfishness.
After his reception, the bishop made his pastoral visit throughout the diocese in order to see and encourage the already established parish communities, where he could not help noticing their miserable condition. In the parishes he was welcomed by young children awaiting for him, children who could not go to school either because of lack of money for school fees or because of living in remote areas, and they were afraid of missing the opportunity to see their bishop from up close, which they longed for!
In the conversation he had with them, the bishop promised to communicate with people who love and care about Mission in order to build them a good School so that they don’t have to walk many kilometers to get there. He also promised to build them a beautiful Church better than what he saw in a hut.
Finally, he promised them a clean well so that they can have access to clean drinking water, much cleaner than the one that the residents made themselves in an unsanitary way, as he himself noticed the filth that can make children sick.
Naturally, this newly established diocese is facing many difficulties as it lacks the required infrastructure to deal with its missionary needs.
Another difficulty among others is that there is neither a house where the Bishop can stay, nor a simple car to enable him to visit the existing parishes.
We address our message to all the Mission friends and supporters who are reading about our suffering so that they hear our cry and help us.
From the Holy Diocese
