On April 17, 2026, the Friday of Bright Week and the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring,” the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Konstantin of Cairo and North Africa, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Zimbabwe for the first time.
The service was held at a parish in the country’s capital, Harare.
His Eminence was concelebrated by Archpriest Daniel Lugovoy, Dean of Parishes in South Africa and Rector of St. Sergius Cathedral in Johannesburg, and Priest Savva Kajawa, a cleric of the South African Diocese in Malawi who is in charge of this community.
The service was attended by H.E. Krasilnikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Zimbabwe and to the Republic of Malawi; H.E. Nikolaychik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Zimbabwe; Russian embassy staff; and local residents.
The Liturgy was celebrated in English, Church Slavonic, Shona, and Chichewa.
At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Konstantin performed the blessing of the water, after which he delivered an archpastoral sermon.
Then, Russian Ambassador N.V. Krasilnikov and Belarusian Ambassador Y.V. Nikolaychik addressed the congregation with words of welcome.
In conclusion, the archpastor presented decorative Easter eggs to all present.
Patriarchal exarchate of Africa
