His memory eternal ! Bishop of Kisumu
Athanasius pray in front of God for us, for the Orthodox Christians in
Western Kenya and all over the Africa !In Memoriam: His Grace Bishop Athanasius Akunda
We were very sad to learn of the death of His Grace Bishop Athanasius Akunda, Bishop of Kisumu and Western Kenya. He was a friend and colleague for the 13 years that he worked in South Africa…
Like any human being, he had his failings and weaknesses, but these were outweighed by his love, his gentleness, his sense of humour, and his pastoral concern for people. In the 13 years we worked together, so many things would have been impossible to do without him. We miss him here in South Africa, but his diocese will miss him even more.
I hoped that I might live long enough to see him become Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, but that was not to be.
May his memory be eternal!
You can see more in Khanya (Orthodox christian blog from South Africa)
Στην αιωνιότητα ο Επίσκοπος Κισούμου Αθανάσιος (in Greek)
Today January 4, 2019, We have received the sorrowful news of the repose in Christ of His Grace Bishop Athanasios Akunda of Kisumu and all Western Kenya, MAY HIS SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE!
His Grace has been bed ridden in Intensive care Unit (ICU) at St Vincent hospital in Worcester Massachusetts ,USA since early December 2018 with alternating health condition and hope of recovery but this morning he was called by his Father in Heaven.
He has been much known for his Kind and loving personality, being humble in nature and undoubtedly portraying characteristics of a living Saint.
Uganda Orthodox Church joins the Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters in Kenya in celebrating the Life of our beloved Bishop and May the Almighty Father rest his soul in peace and eternity.
He has been much known for his Kind and loving personality, being humble in nature and undoubtedly portraying characteristics of a living Saint.
Uganda Orthodox Church joins the Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters in Kenya in celebrating the Life of our beloved Bishop and May the Almighty Father rest his soul in peace and eternity.
It
is with great saddness that we have to report that His Grace Bishop
Athanasius of Kisumu and Western Kenyan has gone home to be with our
Lord. Please pray for his eternal repose and for the peace of the many
people all over the world who have lost a true Father in Christ. May His
Memory Be Eternal!
O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who hast trampled down death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to Thy world, do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of Thy departed servant Bishop Athanasius in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which he has committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who lives yet does not sin, for Thou only art without sin, Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth.
For Thou are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Thy servant who has fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen.
O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who hast trampled down death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to Thy world, do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of Thy departed servant Bishop Athanasius in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which he has committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who lives yet does not sin, for Thou only art without sin, Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth.
For Thou are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Thy servant who has fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen.
So hard to say, you are no more in this world.
My brother in the Lord; Shine all the way…You have left this world to be
eternally a live in the other world where there is no pain, no grieve
nor sorrow.
Eternal be your memory. I will greatly miss you! Rest in Peace Άγιε (holy one) as I usually call you!!!
For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor
that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto
men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved
of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily
was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding,
or deceit beguile his soul.
For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen. – Wisdom of Solomon 4:8-15 When I first learned how serious the illness of Bishop Athanasius was my first reaction was to pray, as I began to pray the above reading from the Wisdom of Solomon came to mind.
This scripture has always struck me when I heard it, perhaps it was because of my own insecurity in life and maybe even because of a wish to be “taken away from the bewitching of naughtiness” no matter why I have always felt a strong attraction to this verse I can say without qualification that I have never met anyone who more clearly embodied this verse in their very person than Bishop Athanasius. In the Orthodox ascetic tradition humility is seen as the mother of all virtues, while most of us struggle to even be able to define humility let alone practice it His Grace, embodied it.
As everyone who has ever encountered Bishop Athanasius can attest too his Grace always put others before himself; sometimes even to my chagrin. The first time I met him, he picked me up to go visit one of his missions, upon picking me up he pushed me to the front seat while he folded himself nearly in half to climb into the back seat of his car with three other people and a goat.
Read more :
Orthodox Africa
In the wake of Bishop Athanasios’ repose this morning, we are looking ahead towards our next steps. OCMC will be helping with the costs of making the necessary funeral preparations, bringing His Grace back to Kenya, and ensuring that he’s able to receive the proper honors from his diocese back home.
We’re hoping that as many of you as are able will find it in your hearts to give generously and contribute to his cause. We will need to raise a lot, but every amount – big or small – helps us get there.
Donations will first be used to help subsidize the cost of His Grace’s funeral preparations and travel to Kenya, and then to help the diocese of Kenya with the costs of coming together to honor His Grace. Any further funds raised will go to support the diocese during this difficult time of transition, until it receives a new bishop who will be able to care for the needs of his flock.
In this time of grief, let’s work together as the Church, to bring His Grace back to his family and diocese in Kenya.
We’ll continue posting updates about his funeral as they happen, so keep an eye on our page to stay informed.
God bless you all, and may the memory of Bishop Athanasios Akunda be eternal.
For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen. – Wisdom of Solomon 4:8-15 When I first learned how serious the illness of Bishop Athanasius was my first reaction was to pray, as I began to pray the above reading from the Wisdom of Solomon came to mind.
This scripture has always struck me when I heard it, perhaps it was because of my own insecurity in life and maybe even because of a wish to be “taken away from the bewitching of naughtiness” no matter why I have always felt a strong attraction to this verse I can say without qualification that I have never met anyone who more clearly embodied this verse in their very person than Bishop Athanasius. In the Orthodox ascetic tradition humility is seen as the mother of all virtues, while most of us struggle to even be able to define humility let alone practice it His Grace, embodied it.
As everyone who has ever encountered Bishop Athanasius can attest too his Grace always put others before himself; sometimes even to my chagrin. The first time I met him, he picked me up to go visit one of his missions, upon picking me up he pushed me to the front seat while he folded himself nearly in half to climb into the back seat of his car with three other people and a goat.
Read more :
Orthodox Africa
In the wake of Bishop Athanasios’ repose this morning, we are looking ahead towards our next steps. OCMC will be helping with the costs of making the necessary funeral preparations, bringing His Grace back to Kenya, and ensuring that he’s able to receive the proper honors from his diocese back home.
We’re hoping that as many of you as are able will find it in your hearts to give generously and contribute to his cause. We will need to raise a lot, but every amount – big or small – helps us get there.
Donations will first be used to help subsidize the cost of His Grace’s funeral preparations and travel to Kenya, and then to help the diocese of Kenya with the costs of coming together to honor His Grace. Any further funds raised will go to support the diocese during this difficult time of transition, until it receives a new bishop who will be able to care for the needs of his flock.
In this time of grief, let’s work together as the Church, to bring His Grace back to his family and diocese in Kenya.
We’ll continue posting updates about his funeral as they happen, so keep an eye on our page to stay informed.
God bless you all, and may the memory of Bishop Athanasios Akunda be eternal.
Please, see also
We and the spirits of the departed
The Way - An introduction to the Orthodox Faith
Theosis (deification): The True Purpose of Human Life
Theosis, St. Silouan and Elder Sophrony
The Way - An introduction to the Orthodox Faith
Theosis (deification): The True Purpose of Human Life
Theosis, St. Silouan and Elder Sophrony
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