An Orthodox Christian community in the city of Beira, Republic of Mozambique, was received into the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“There used to be a parish of the Church of Alexandria in Beira, but after 2019 it was closed. The Mozambicans, abandoned by Greeks but upholding the Orthodox faith, appealed to the Russian Orthodox Church, asking to revive Orthodoxy in Beira,” Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, wrote in his Telegram channel.
Priest George Maximov, chairmen of the Exarchate Missionary Department, met with the Beira community to discuss further steps to getting church life in the parish back on track.
Father George also met with a group of young people showing interest in the Orthodox faith and baptized a young man who had been catechized and ready to embrace the sacrament. The rest will be catechized, learning more about the Orthodox faith, and then receive Holy Baptism.
A task of taking pastoral care of the Beira community was entrusted to Priest Nektarios Justin from Malawi.
Accompanied by executive officers and representatives of Africa Development Group, Fr. George visited a primary school in Mungassa which is being rebuilt by Africa Development Group. Father George blessed construction works and prayed for the pupils. In the course of negotiations with the school principle, an agreement was reached regarding future cooperation between the Church and the school, which implied the Russian language to be taught and lectures to be delivered by a priest.
During a charity event organized by the Church and Africa Development Group, foodstuffs, sweets and arts and craft sets were delivered to ‘Os Continuadores’ Orphanage.
With the assistance of Africa Development Group, a meeting took place between the Exarchate representative and Mr José Mutoroma, administrator of Beira city.
“Full understanding was reached as to promoting the Russian Orthodox Church’s presence in the city,” the Patriarch Exarch reported.
Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa
