To the city of Benin, Edo State of Nigeria, lead his missionary steps Metropolitan Nikodemus of Nigeria, on Sunday 15th December 2024.
At the airport of the city the Metropolitan was warmly welcomed by the parish priest Father James, together with the committee of the community.
Metropolitan Nikodemus, under the shadow of the patriarchal blessings of Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria, travelled to one of the most beautiful and modern cities of Nigeria, reknown for its palm oil, to support his flock from close, to spiritually reinforce them in view of the great feast of Christmas , to give an ear to their problems, and, especially, to celebrate with them the Great Supper of the Holy Eucharist, as the evangelical parable told us.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated in the Holy Church of the Evangelist Luke, he ordained Fr. James Igetei to a protopresbyter.
The parish of Benin might be small, but it is rapidly growing and it is showing a lot of promise. Already there are moves being made to build a new spiritual Orthodox centre with a Holy Church to house the ardent faith of the locals, always with the blessing of the Alexandrian Primate.
Mention should be made that a journey through a country such as Nigeria is quite a difficult and laborious enterprise. It demands careful planning and organisation, but more than anything, it requires love and patience. Neither are the conditions favourable, nor is safety ever taken for granted. Anyone who chooses to dedicate themselves to the labour of missionary work, knows this and not only does it not hinder them, but it motivates them to work even harder to spread the word of Christ. All hardships and sufferings are forgotten when one sees in the kind faces of the faithful Africans the respect and gratitude towards the Church and the priests and witnesses their joyful participation.
Photos Credit: Augustine Orapine & Metropolitan Nikodemus of Nigeria
