Orthodoxy came to the people of East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya), not through the efforts of a single missionary, but through charismatic African men searching for truth and ‘ortho doxia’ in the early 1920’s. Correspondence began with the Patriarch of Alexandria, and by 1946, they were received into canonical Orthodoxy through Patriarch Christophoros.
In 1958, because of the rapid development of the Orthodox faith in East Africa, a Metropolitan (Nicholas Valeropoulos) was appointed to care for the Spiritual needs of the three East African countries. The name which was given by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria was the Holy Archbishopric of Irinoupolis which means the "City of Peace".
The late Archbishop and President of Cyprus Makarios III, a leading personality in the fight for the independence of his country was closely associated with the President and leader of the independence movement of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. During the fight for freedom from colonial rule, the Orthodox Church of Kenya played a leading role in the struggle for Independence. The Mau Mau movement had many leaders from the Orthodox faithful especially in Kiambu. During the struggle for freedom, Orthodox Schools and Churches were closed by the colonial government and many Orthodox priests were imprisoned.
On March 22nd, 1971, Archbishop Makarios laid the foundation stone of the Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary at Riruta, with the blessings of His Beatitude Nicholas, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa. Archbishop Makarios said: “To help our African brothers in their search for the ways of God in Christian virtue and brotherhood and with the blessings of Almighty God we create here a center from which new Apostles of Christ will spread the word of the Lord in this part of the world and administer the comforting joy of the Gospel in the hearts of our beloved African brothers.” He pointed out that it was a symbol and expression of friendship between the peoples of Kenya and Cyprus. During this visit, he performed large-scale baptisms in Nairobi and Nyeri.
Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos who was assigned as Acting Archbishop in 1982, completed the seminary and undertook the training of indigenous priests, translations, and the building of Churches, clinics and schools. The Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary is under the Patriarchate of Alexandria and serves many of the countries of Africa. In 1998 the Seminary was renamed the Orthodox Patriarchal School. Today it follows the curriculum of other Orthodox Christian Theological Schools and functions with students from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zimbabwe and Cameroon who are being trained to meet the needs of the rapidly growing Orthodox Faith.
On February 22nd, 2001 the (late) Patriarch of Alexandria, PETROS and the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate met to assign Archbishop MAKARIOS (of Zimbabwe) as Metropolitan of Kenya. The Metropolitan has studied at Sorbonne and Oxford and holds a doctorate of Philosophy from Oxford. He taught at St. Barbabas seminary in Nicosia and the Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary in Nairobi for more than 15 years before 1998 when the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria assigned elected him Metropolitan of Zimbabwe and Southern Africa. His Eminence continues to teach Church History, Missiology, Homiletics, Hagiology, Teleturgics, Patristics and Greek.
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| Archbishop Makarios |
The Orthodox Church in Kenya is making a great contribution to the social, economic and educational development of the country. Many secondary schools, clinics and nursery schools throughout the country have been created to meet peoples spiritual and physical needs, making a visible witness of love and concern throughout the country. There are many ongoing programs concerning Youth and Women. Translations of the Divine Services of Orthodoxy are being made in many of the languages of Africa.
Today, there are four Metropolitans in East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania (2) and Kenya) - two of which are African. The World Council of Churches website currently puts the number of Orthodox Kenyans at over 600,000. The OCMC has been involved in assisting in the establishment and nurturing of the Church in Kenya through sending missionaries, Teams and clergy (Support A Mission Priest - SAMP) support in addition to assisting with building projects and Agape grants throughout the years, beginning in 1985. Currently there are 227+ priests and deacons in Kenya, the majority of them receive some type of assistance through the OCMC, Support A Mission Priest program. Additionally, the OCMC has offered assistance in training of the indigenous clergy of Kenya through grants.
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| Deacons serving at Nairobi's Orthodox Cathedral |
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