On Tuesday, October 7, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa convened, under the presidency of Pope and Patriarch Theodore II, at the seat of the ancient Patriarchate in Alexandria.
As stated in the communiqué regarding the first day of the Holy Synod’s proceedings: “Invoking the Holy Spirit, the Patriarch declared the opening of the Synod, addressing a paternal greeting to the Synodal Hierarchs and emphasizing the significance of the institution of synodality and the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea, as well as the participation of the Great Theologian of the Church of Alexandria, Saint Athanasius the Great, in that Council.”
Elder Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi responded to the Patriarch on behalf of the Hierarchs.
Subsequently, the Patriarch read the report of his activities over the past period since the previous convening of the Holy Synod, referencing all areas of the Patriarchate’s ecclesiastical, pastoral, and philanthropic ministry.
Following this, Elder Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi was honored by the Patriarch with the distinction of the Great Cross of Sabbas the Sanctified and was ceremonially granted the title “Archbishop of Kenya and Exarch of All Eastern Africa.”
Additionally, Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage and Bishop Neophytos of Eldoret and Northern Kenya were awarded the Golden Cross of Sabbas the Sanctified in recognition of their ten years of episcopal ministry.
The Synod then decided to elevate the Holy Sees of Eldoret and Northern Kenya, Arusha and Central Tanzania, and Malawi to Metropolises of the Throne.
The newly elevated Metropolitans will bear the following titles:
- Eldoret: Senior Metropolitan and Exarch of Northern Kenya
- Arusha: Senior Metropolitan and Exarch of Central Tanzania
- Lilongwe: Senior Metropolitan and Exarch of Malawi
Furthermore, for pastoral reasons, the Synod decided:
- To divide the Holy Metropolis of Antananarivo and Northern Madagascar by creating a new Diocese under the title “Holy Diocese of Matzounga and Northern Madagascar.”
- To divide the Holy Metropolis of Kampala by creating the “Holy Diocese of Barara and Western Uganda.” The duties of Patriarchal Vicar of the Diocese of Barara will be undertaken by the emeritus Metropolitan of Sozous, Innocent.
- To appoint Metropolitan George of Guinea as Patriarchal Vicar of the island of Mauritius.
The Holy Synod proceeded with the election of Hierarchs.
Following the proposal of the Patriarch of Alexandria, the Holy Synod elected the following:
- Gaborone and Botswana: Mr. Mark from Kisumu
- Kigali and Rwanda: Archimandrite Ioakim Skreta
- Kisumu and Western Kenya: Archimandrite Philip Mugadisi
- Matzounga and Northern Madagascar: Archimandrite Niphon Daskalakis
- Auxiliary Bishop of Mareotis under H.B.: Archimandrite Damaskinos Alazrai, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria
- Auxiliary Bishop of Eleusis under H.B.: Archimandrite Timotheos Kapsalis
The Synod’s proceedings continued in the afternoon with an address by Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe and Angola: “The theology of Saint Athanasius the Great as expressed through the decisions of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea as a theological means for the visible unity of the Local Orthodox Churches.”
Finally, the first day of the Holy Synod of the ancient Patriarchate concluded with the reading of the acts of the Holy Metropolises and Bishops of the Throne.
