On February 9, 2022, a pastoral meeting was held in the Eastern Province of Kenya, initiated by a missionary group led by ROC Priest Georgy Maksimov. As the Patriarchal Exarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), Patriarchal Exarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, reported in his Telegram channel, 15 more Kenyan clergymen were accepted into the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, despite the threats of the local hierarch of the Alexandrian Patriarchate.

“Today we held a pastoral meeting in the city of Meru (Eastern Province of Kenya). It was attended by the priests of two deaneries of the diocese of Nieri of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church (Central Meru deanery and North Meru deanery), who invited Fr. George, in order to convey to him petitions for their acceptance into the Russian Orthodox Church.

The local priests informed that on Sunday Bishop Neophyte of Nyeri came to them and asked them not to transfer to the Russian Orthodox Church, threatened the consequences of such a step, but heard that the vast majority of the priests of both deaneries of Meru had already made a decision and he should respect him. According to the results of the pastoral meeting, 15 priests were accepted into the Russian Orthodox Church. The oaths were signed.

The photo shows that not all the clergy were in cassocks … the reason is simple. Most African priests have only one cassock. Therefore, they protect it, since in case of damage it is not necessary to count on a replacement. Those fathers who came from afar on a motorcycle (and this is several hours) simply did not dare to take a cassock with them so as not to accidentally damage it on the road. Well, with God’s help we will solve this issue too,” said the Patriarchal Exarch.

Earlier it was reported that the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tanzania received antimentions and priestly crosses.