The consecration of the new church of Saint Evmenios in Tanzania

There was great emotion and joy for the blessing of the consecration of the new Church of Saint Evmenios Saridakis (†1999) in the parish of Bugaza in Kyerwa district of the Diocese of Bukoba and Western Tanzania.

The Consecration was performed by his grace bishop Chrysostomos with the blessing of his beatitude Patriarch Theodoros.

Our Patriarch holds a special reverence for his fellow Cretan Saint, and his grace Bishop Chrysostomos used to visit the Saint and served as his cantor at Saint Barbara church in Aigaleo, Athens. during his student years.

The dedication to Saint Evmenios was made to create a bulwark against the invasion of the Russians, who conducted an aggressive proselytism with defrocked clergy in the area.

The construction of the church was made possible through the generous donation of Greek expatriates Dimitrios and Anatoli T. from Stuttgart, Germany. The donation was given through the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, whom we thank for the allocation to our region.

The donors traveled from Germany to attend the consecration, during which they served in the ceremony and raised the holy icon of the Saint with great emotion.

It was a major event for Orthodoxy, which had been in decline and devaluation in the preceding period. For this reason, all the Orthodox Christians of Kyerwa District celebrated the event with the massive presence of 16 priests, 400 faithful, and the participation of the choir from the Ecclesiastical School of Apostle and Evangelist Mark, who chanted the hymns.

After the consecration, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, followed by a communal meal, songs, and dances.