The Mission in Central Tanzania

Elder Maximos Kyritsis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Dionysios in Olympus, attended and spoke at the event of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity on the topic “The Mission in Central Tanzania.”

Elder Maximos morally and materially supports the pastoral work of the Monastery’s brother, Metropolitan Agathonikos of Arusha, in Tanzania. Having personally visited the area, he spoke in detail about the difficulties and needs of the residents, as well as the work being carried out there with the contribution of the Fraternity.

As he described, many residents, until recently, did not have access to clean water sources and were forced, when it rained, to drink water from streams and puddles, exposed to serious health risks. This situation changed with the construction of boreholes, which ensure clean drinking water, relieving residents from long and dangerous journeys for their water supply.

A similar situation was observed in education. Hundreds of children in the area did not have a primary school and were forced to walk for miles to attend. With the construction of a new primary school in one village and the renovation and expansion of an older school in another, better learning conditions were created for the children and working conditions for the teachers.

The Elder also referred to the difficulties faced by the local clergy, who are supported exclusively by the Metropolis. To ensure decent housing for priests, enabling them to fulfill their pastoral duties, residences for clergy were built in two villages in the area.

Elder Maximos made special mention of the mass baptisms organized by the Metropolis, where young and old are baptized in the same font, as the Slavs once were. He himself had the opportunity to be there and perform baptisms, experiencing firsthand the beginning of spiritual life that the sacrament bestows upon people.

In the health sector, the Elder spoke about the “Saint Nicholas” polyclinic, which has pediatric and obstetric/gynecological departments and offers health services to mothers, children, and families in the wider area, significantly enhancing the local population’s access to medical care.

The missionary work continues with the construction of new holy churches, including the Church of the Holy Trinity in the capital of Tanzania, Dodoma, and the Church of the Virgin Mary in Arusha, which is expected to become a spiritual center for all of Orthodoxy in the region.

Subsequently, Elder Maximos referred to the theological dimension of the mission, based on the Gospel of Matthew. He particularly emphasized the need for humility, patience, and spiritual purification for those serving in the mission, drawing examples from the life of the Church and the missionary zeal of Saint John Chrysostom.

The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity has been supporting this work in Tanzania for years. Concluding his speech, Elder Maximos thanked the Fraternity, personally and on behalf of Metropolitan Agathonikos of Arusha.