Kidamali, Tanzania, May 20, 2019

His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa arrived on a pastoral visit to Central Tanzania on Wednesday, May 15. This is his second primatial visit, having previously visited the area in 2007.

He was greeted at the airport in Dares Salaam His Grace Bishop Agathonikos of Arusha and Central Tanzania, local officials, the president, and members of the Greek Community of Tanzania, reports Romfea.

The next day, May 16, His Beatitude consecrated the Church of St. Paisios of Mt. Athos and St. Luke the Doctor in the village of Masege in southern Tanzania, following the blessing of the gates of the holy Church of the Transfiguration and St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia in the village of Igagitoungou in Central Tanzania the next day, May 17.

Another great spiritual event occurred on May 17 when Pat. Theodoros celebrated the Baptism of 350 indigenous people at the Orthodox mission center in the village of Kidamali, together with Bp. Agathonikos, His Grace Sylvester Bishop of Gulu and Eastern Uganda, and His Grace Fotios Bishop of Malawi, reports Romfea.

The mass Baptism ceremony was followed by a clergy meeting and then a hierarchical meeting in which the bishops informed the Patriarch about the missionary activities in their dioceses.

Such conversion ceremonies are a regular occurrence in the Patriarchate of Alexandria. In February, 520 were baptized at the Church of St. George in Kimamba, Tanzania.

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