In the Orthodox Vineyard of Africa
"Another great and distinguished Hierarch of the Alexandrian throne of St. Mark, a defender of orthodox faith and African values has reposed in the lord after a tough battle with illness.
Rest in Peace Yieronda Metropolitan Jona of Kampala-Uganda.
You have been our chief advisor and a father. You always told me not to give up and to be strong because the mission is not for the faint hearted. Dear father, You have ran the race and you hVe fought a good fight. We will surely miss you our dear father. May your soul rest in eternal peace. Praying for the church of Uganda to have peace, love and understanding."
Neofitos, bishop of the Nyeri and Mount Kenya
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"REST IN PEACE, YOUR EMINENCE ELDER IONAS OF KAMPALA. MAY YOUR MEMORY BE ETERNAL.
Έφυγε το "λιοντάρι" των Ιεραρχών του Αλεξανδρινού Θρόνου. Καλό παράδεισο πολυσέβαστε Γέροντα Καμπάλας κυρε Ιωνά. Αισθάνομαι ευτυχής που πήρα την ευχή σου πριν λίγο καιρό. Το έργο σου στην Ουγκάντα θα μαρτυρεί την αγάπη σου προς την Εκκλησία του Χριστού και το Θρόνο του Αγίου Μάρκου. Συλλυπητήρια σε όλα τα πνευματικά σου τεκνία. Θα σε μνημονεύουμε με αγάπη!"
Ιερά Μητρόπολη Αξώμης Αιθιοπίας - Holy Archdiocese of Aksum Ethiopia
Στον Ορθόδοξο Αμπελώνα της Αφρικής
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Immediately following graduation from the Ecclesiastical School, he continued his studies at the University of Athens, graduating in 1973 with a degree in Philosophy. He stayed at the University of Athens until 1978, this time obtaining a degree in Theology. In 1979 Jonah headed back to Uganda, serving as secretary of the Ugandan Mission under Archbishop Frumentios (Nasios) (1972–1981) of the Archdiocese of Irinoupolis until 1981.
On May 1, 1981, he was ordained to the diaconate. In October His Beatitude Anastasios (Yannoulatos), then Bishop of Androusa (1972–1991), arrived in Kenya in order to become Vicar for East Africa, following the repose of Archbishop Frumentios. The East African Mission grew substantially during his tenure because it was one of the few occasions in Church History that a hierarch from a certain Synod (the Church of Greece) ruled another Synod’s (the Patriarchate of Alexandria) jurisdiction during its vacancy.
His Beatitude ordained Deacon Jonah to the Holy Priesthood in 1982. In the same year, as Professor of Theology, he was sent to the Ecclesiastical School of Makarios III in Riruta, Nairobi, which had been inaugurated in the previous year. During this time, he was elevated to Archimandrite. Archimandrite Jonah worked together with Professor Andreas Tillyrides, current Archbishop of Nairobi, who helped establish the seminary since 1977.
The fall of both Atheist Albania and the Socialist Bloc in 1991 marked the end of the persecution against Orthodoxy in Albania, and Bishop Anastasios was elected the first Archbishop of Tirana since 1967, leader of the Church of Albania. Succeeded him as Vicar to East Africa Archbishop Petros of Accra (1990–1994), future Patriarch of Alexandria (1997–2004). With the help of Patriarch Parthenios III of Alexandria (1987–1996), Archbishop Petros submitted to the Holy Synod the request to establish two titular dioceses: one in Riruta for Professor Andreas, now known as Archimandrite Makarios, and another one for the Tanzanian Mission in Bukoba for Archimandrite Jonah.
The Holy Synod agreed and, on July 26, 1992, Archimandrite Jonah was elected titular Bishop of Bukoba, while Makarios was made Bishop of Riruta on the previous day. One of His Grace’s first decisions in Tanzania was joining the Syndesmos Orthodox Youth Movement together with Bishop Makarios. Bishop Jonah has always stressed the participation of children in the Church, as he was raised in the Church in his youth. Because of this, today East Africa has the largest Orthodox population of Africa.
In 1997, Archbishop Petros was elected Patriarch of Alexandria following the repose of Patriarch Parthenios. Three days after his election and under his recommendation, the Holy Synod elevated Bishop Jonah to Archbishop of Kampala and Exarch of All Uganda on March 12, 1997.
His Eminence succeeded Archbishop Theodoros (Nankyama) on the see of Kampala, honoring his legacy and expanding the Orthodox Faith in Uganda. In 1999, Archbishop Jonah made a lecture tour in the United States in which he described his experiences and struggles as a missionary in Uganda. He visited over 18 parishes throughout the country, learning about the way Orthodoxy spread in the United States and apply it later in Uganda.
Under Archbishop Jonah, over twenty medical facilities and a hospital have been established in Uganda, as well as an Orthodox Mother’s Union to address issues of spiritual and social development of women and their children and to fight against poverty, hunger and illiteracy.
On 27 October 2017, the Metropolitan was elevated to the rank of an Elder (Geronta / Yeronda) by the Holy Synod in Alexandria.
It was yesterday, Sunday 5th September 2021 that our Spiritual father reposed in Lord!
Rest In Peace Despota!!!
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Ουγκάντα: Εκδημία Μητροπολίτου Γέροντος Καμπάλας κυρού Ιωνά
Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia (& εδώ)
"Εκδημία Σεβ. Μητροπολίτου Γέροντος Καμπάλας κυρού Ιωνά.
Ο Μακαριστός Γέρων Μητροπολίτης Καμπάλας, εκοιμήθη σήμερα, 5 Σεπτεμβρίου 2021, από ανακοπή καρδιάς
Το Πατριαρχείο Αλεξανδρείας και πάσης Αφρικής με βαθιά θλίψη και συνοχή καρδίας αναγγέλλει την προς Κύριον εκδημίαν του Σεβ. Μητροπολίτου Γέροντος Καμπάλας κυρού Ιωνά.
Ο αείμνηστος Μητροπολίτης υπήρξε ένας σπουδαίος Ιεράρχης του Αλεξανδρινού Θρόνου, ακοίμητος εργάτης και αγωνιστής για την διάδοση του Ευαγγελίου στην Αφρική. Επί 29 συναπτά έτη ως Αρχιερεύς του Αλεξανδρινού Θρόνου, διηκόνησε την Ιεραποστολή της Αφρικής συνεχίζοντας το έργο των πρώτων Ιεραποστόλων στην Ουγκάντα, ιδρύοντας μεταξύ άλλων Ναούς, σχολεία, νοσοκομεία και Ιερές Μονές.
Ο Μακαριστός Γέρων Μητροπολίτης Καμπάλας, εκοιμήθη σήμερα, 5 Σεπτεμβρίου 2021, από ανακοπή καρδιάς, σε κεντρικό νοσοκομείο των Αθηνών, μετά από πολύμηνη μάχη με την επάρατο νόσο.
Η Α. Θ. Μακαριότης ο Πάπας και Πατριάρχης Αλεξανδρείας και πάσης Αφρικής κ.κ. Θεόδωρος Β΄, με αισθήματα βαθιάς λύπης, ετέλεσε Τρισάγιο υπέρ Αναπαύσεως της ψυχής του μακαριστού Μητροπολίτου κυρού Ιωνά.
Ο Μακαριστός Μητροπολίτης Γέρων Καμπάλας, Yπέρτιμος και Έξαρχος πάσης Ουγκάντας κυρός Ιωνάς, εγεννήθη το έτος 1945 εις DDEGEYA. Περάτωσε τις εγκύκλιες σπούδες στο BULEMEZI και KYADDONDO της Ουγκάντας (1952-1964). Φοίτησε στην Εκκλησιαστική Σχολή της Κρήτης (1964-1968). Είναι πτυχιούχος της Θεολογικής και της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών (1968-1978). Διάκονος εχειροτονήθη το 1981 και Πρεσβύτερος το 1982. Την 27η Ιουλίου 1992 εχειροτονήθη Επίσκοπος Μπουκόμπα. Την 12ηΜαϊου 1997 εξελέγη Μητροπολίτης Καμπάλας και πάσης Ουγκάντας."
Please, see also
The Orthodox Church in Uganda, an outgrowth of indigenous self discovery
Pioneers of the Orthodox Church in Uganda!
Ουγκάντα – Κένυα: Η συμβολή της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας στον αγώνα για την ανεξαρτησία της Αφρικής
Uganda Orthodox Church - Holy Metropolis of Kampala - Facebook
Natives Africans bishops in the Orthodox Church
Orthodox Mission in Tropical Africa (& the Decolonization of Africa)
African Initiated Churches in Search of Orthodoxy...
How “White” is the Orthodox Church?
Ancient Christian faith (Orthodox Church) in Africa
KUTAFUTA IMANI LAKUNYOLOKA – AMA KI ORTHODOKSI
Theosis, St. Silouan and Elder Sophrony
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