The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, with the support of “Foma” magazine and the “Nikea” publishing house, held the first literary competition for writers from countries across the African continent.
With the blessing of the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Konstantin of Cairo and North Africa, the theme of the competition was “Africa and Orthodoxy.” The results were announced this spring.
Authors from Cameroon, Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya participated in the contest.
The essays were written in English, French, and Swahili.
The winner in the “Fiction” category was Theoctiste Romaric Balthasar Djossou (Benin) with the short story “The Light of the Heart.” Second place went to Jean Calvin Anoga (Cameroon) with the short story “Joseph’s Skepticism About Faith.” Third place was taken by Onésime Assongba (Benin) with the short story “The Forgotten Icon.”
The winner in the “Opinion journalism” category was Father Vasily Waicha (Kenya), Dean of the Nyeri Church District in Kenya, with his article “Pillar of Faith: The Life and Legacy of Elder Joseph Gakuo Theuri.”
The best stories will be translated and published in Russian, English, French, and Swahili.
The books will be distributed to African libraries and parishes of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.
In this way, not only is support provided to aspiring Orthodox writers, but a brick is also laid in the edifice of African Orthodox culture.
Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa
