First Pastoral Meeting of the Patriarch of Alexandria in Namibia (January 2018)

 

Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa

On 23rd January 2018, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II, accompanied by Metropolitan of Good Hope Sergios, arrived for the first time in Namibia, to visit the small Orthodox flock living in the country.

Namibia, in comparison with its vast expanse, has the second lowest population in the world, even though it was a former province of South Africa know as South West Africa, which gained its independence only in 1990.

In the city of Walvis Bay, where most of the Orthodox Christians live and which is a hub for many sailors, particularly Russians, through the actions of His Eminence Sergios Metropolitan of Good Hope, and a donation of land by the Honorary Consul General of Greece and Cyprus, Mr. Ssavvas Savva, the first Orthodox Church will be built, laying the foundation for the establishment of the first Parish in Namibia.


Photo from here. More here.

Immediately after his arrival, the Alexandrian Primate, together with the local Metropolitan Sergios, visited the Honorary Consul of Greece and Cyprus Mr. Savvas I. Savva, with whom they discussed all the issues which concern the expatriates, in a spirit of love and understanding.

Then, His Beatitude, accompanied by Mr Savvas, visited and inspected the works of construction and restoration of the Holy Church of St. John the Baptist.

On the next day, 24th January, the Alexandrian Primate, in his meeting with the Honorary Consul Mr. Savvas and in the presence of Greek people and others from the country, awarded him the medal of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark, to honour him for his great contribution for Hellenism and Orthodoxy in Namibia. On the morning of 25th January,

Patriarch Theodoros paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of the city of Walvis Bay, Mr. Alterman Immanuel H. Wilfried, to whom he gave a commemorative gift.


 
See also

How “White” is the Orthodox Church?
Orthodox Mission in Tropical Africa (& the Decolonization of Africa) Orthodox Archbishopric of Good Hop, Cape Town
Orthodox Metropolis Of Good Hope - Cape Town - Facebook

«African needs to be helped, to find his divine roots, for his soul to be at peace, to become united with God...»
"The African culture is ripe and ready for Orthodoxy because her people already live in community..."
Eight principal areas of convergence between African spirituality and Ancient Christianity in Search of Orthodoxy
"THE WAY" - An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith

Orthodox Holy Litourgy in Namibia, October 2015
The Orthodox Church in the Republic of South Africa
St Nicholas of Japan, a multi-ethnic orthodox parish in Johannesburg
Afrikaans Ortodoks
Orthodoxy.faithweb.com
Khanya
Orthodox South Africa
Orthodox Botswana