The Mission in Northern Uganda
His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Gulu and Northern Uganda attended and spoke at an event of the Orthodox External Mission Fraternity in Thessaloniki, where he presented the missionary work in his Diocese and shared his personal journey to Orthodoxy.
His Grace spoke about his introduction to the Orthodox Church at the age of sixteen and the long journey that led him from Uganda to Greece, where he studied theology, was ordained a clergyman, and was elected Bishop in 2022.
He also referred to the beginnings of Orthodoxy in Uganda and the pioneering role of Saint Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, whom he described as “our own Saint,” emphasizing the deep bond Ugandan Orthodox feel with him.
“Every time we celebrate the Liturgy, we say to him: Help us, O Saint. Wherever we encounter an obstacle now, we do not pray to other saints. We pray to our own Saint, because he is the one who understands us best.”
He also made extensive reference to the difficulties faced by Northern Uganda, which for more than twenty years experienced the suffering of civil war.
Despite the deep wounds left by the conflict, the Orthodox Mission is currently experiencing significant growth: the holy churches have reached ten, active communities exceed twenty, while the construction of Saint Lawrence Cathedral continues.
Special mention was made of the remote Karamojong region, where the eleven boreholes funded by the Fraternity have already changed the situation for people facing severe water scarcity.
His Grace expressed warm thanks to the Greeks for their continuous support and extended an open invitation to friends of the Mission to visit the Diocese of Gulu.
