On 26th November 2017, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of
Alexandria and All Africa, conducted the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in
the imposing Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in
Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, concelebrating with Their Eminences
Gregory Metropolitan of Cameroon and Narcissus Metropolitan of Accra,
many Priests and Deacons, the participation of a church choir of
indigenous Orthodox Christians and the massive participation of Orthodox
believers.
Also present, on behalf of the Government were the Honorable Minister of
Labour, Their Excellencies the Ambassadors of Egypt and Russia to
Cameroon, the Honorary Consul General of Greece in Douala and Archon
Referendarios of the Alexandrian Patriarchal Throne. The Honorable Mr.
Anestis Arnopoulos, the Honorable Chairman of the Hellenic Community of
Yaoundé Mr. Errikos Balanos and other dignitaries.
In his address to the congregation His Beatitude centered on the
importance of the two great virtues, of Love and Peace, which stem from
God. Love, because “God is love”, and “peace from above”
as a gift of the Holy Spirit the perfect gift from God Himself to His
chosen creation, mankind, that reconciles us to Him and to our
neighbour. Only if mankind comprehends that the result of all this
global turmoil, is the absence of Love and Peace, then we will be able
to have a world of reconciliation and tolerance.
Peace will never be achieved through terrorism and the power of weapons, but with the catalytic presence of Love in our lives.
Peace will never be achieved through terrorism and the power of weapons, but with the catalytic presence of Love in our lives.
Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, in the grounds of the Cathedral, a
function was held in which the Indigenous Orthodox Christians offered
their gifts to the Patriarch, according to the local tradition, His
Beatitude then visited the Hellenic Community of Yaoundé, in the
building of the Hellenic Club, where in the presence of the Honorable
Chairman of the Hellenic Community, he met all the members of the Greek
community and attended lunch with them.
Photo from here
THE FUTURE OF ORTHODOXY IN THE CAMEROON IS HOPEFUL (from here)
On 27th November 2017, the final day of the missionary visit of His
Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa
to the Holy Metropolis of the Cameroon, the Alexandrian Primate visited
the lush wooded suburb of Nsimalen, outside the capital Yaoundé, to
perform the Inauguration Service at the newly built Holy Church of the
Most Holy Theotokos “Myrtidiotissis”, within the Holy Retreat of the
same name.
His Beatitude was accompanied during the Inauguration Ceremony, by Their
Eminences Gregory, Metropolitan of the Cameroon and Narcissus of Accra.
Several people from Yaoundé were present as well as crowds of
Indigenous Orthodox Christians, who gave the Alexandrian Primate an
exceptional welcome. Also moving, was the presence of little children
from the schools in the area, which testifies to the hopeful future of
Orthodoxy in the area. In a mood of gladness expressed their enthusiasm
both for the completion of the Holy Church, as well as for the blessing
of the presence of the Patriarch amongst them. In his address, the
Patriarch congratulated His Eminence Gregory for the completion of the
Holy Church of the Theotokos as well as for the general progress of the
Orthodox faith, in the spiritual fields of the local Orthodox Church in
the Cameroon.
He also mentioned the donor of the Holy Church Mrs. Irene, commemorating
her late parents Dimitrios and Maria, praying for the repose of their
souls. Before the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the Primate,
Theodoros II, enthroned as the first Hegumen of the Holy Retreat of the
“Virgin Myrtidiotissis”, the Chancellor the Very Reverend Archimandrite
Prodromos Katsoulis, praying that the blessing of the Theotokos would
support him and that the Holy Retreat would be filled with many monks.
Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude the Patriarch,
called to a Clergy Synaxis in the hall adjacent to the Church, the
Clergy of the Metropolis of the Cameroon, to whom he addressed
spiritually strengthening words, and giving them blessings.
A lunch of local foods followed in the courtyard of the Holy Church, to
celebrate the day, and indigenous Orthodox Christians presented a dance
programme. Yet another missionary journey of the Alexandrian Primate
ended. The spiritual seed was sown! Rich fruits of Orthodox faith and
life will blossom rapidly, in the Ecclesiastical field of the Cameroon.
The future of African Orthodoxy is expected to be brilliant.
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