On the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, on which our Church commemorates Saint John of Sinai, the author of the Ladder, Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, who was visiting Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, proceeded with the translation of the relics of the pioneer of missionary work in Africa, Saint Chrysostomos of Africa.
In the morning, a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II, concelebrating with Their Eminences, Metropolitan Ieronymos of Kampala, Metropolitan Theodosios of Kinshasa, Metropolitan Chariton of Kananga, Metropolitan Nikodemos of Nigeria, Metropolitan Athanasios of Beni, Metropolitan Kosmas of Constantiane, and Metropolitan Stephanos ofHippo.
Also present in prayer at the Divine Liturgy was the Consul General of Greece in the Congo, Mr Gerasimos Ntounis, while the Governor of Kananga was represented by the Deputy Governor.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a memorial service was held for the great missionary of Kananga, Fr Chariton Pnevmatikakis. In his sermon, Patriarch Theodoros spoke with deep emotion about the holy figure of the newly manifested Saint of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, who continues to inspire the missionary hierarchs of the Patriarchate and stands as a luminous example for all its clergy. The Patriarch expressed his heartfelt thanks to the President of the country, Mr Felix Tshisekedi; the Consul General of Greece in the Congo, Mr Gerasimos Ntounis; the Deputy Governor of Kananga, Mr Job Luyindama; the President of the Brotherhood of External Mission of Thessaloniki, Mr Charalambos Metallidis; the President of the Missionary Society of Patras, Mr Nikolaos Simos; Archimandrite Fr Theologos Chrysanthakopoulos from Mount Athos; the head of the Brotherhood of Theologians “SOTIR,” Archimandrite Asterios Chatzinikolaou and his delegation; and, of course, the shepherd of the Holy Metropolis of Kananga, Metropolitan Chariton, for his hospitality.
Subsequently, presided over by Patriarch Theodoros, hierarchs, priests, and deacons, together with the local authorities and the faithful, proceeded to the mission cemetery. There, with hymns and prayers, the Patriarch exhumed from the grave the most sacred relics of Saint Chrysostomos of Africa. Deeply moved and with tears in his eyes, holding in his hands the venerable skull of the Saint, His Beatitude blessed the people of God who had filled the mission grounds.
Thereafter, all the relics of the Saint were carried in procession around the church and brought into its centre, where Patriarch Theodoros washed them with pure water and rosewater and, together with the hierarchs, placed them in the specially prepared reliquary within the Holy Church of Saint Andrew.
Patriarch Theodoros then elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter of the Throne of Alexandria the elderly priest of the Metropolis of Kananga, Fr Chrysostomos Bakuatshibasu, who had been baptised by Saint Chrysostomos himself. He also expressed his gratitude to the late Metropolitans of the Congo, Timotheos, Ignatios, and Nikephoros, as well as to the sisters of the missionary team.
Finally, Patriarch Theodoros received many gifts from the faithful of the Metropolis, who thereby expressed their love and gratitude to the spiritual father of Africa.
Source: vema.com.au
