The approximate number of clerics who transferred to the ROC from the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Africa is now about 160-170 people. This was stated by the Patriarchal Exarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin in an interview with Interfax.

“We understand that behind many figures are, first of all, living people with whom we work on the ground. From the Patriarch of Alexandria, they did not hear an explanation of why he recognized the OCU, there were only excuses like “we will decide everything ourselves.” In one of the African countries, to a direct request to explain the situation, Patriarch Theodore did not hesitate to answer: “You don’t need this, this is between me and Patriarch Kirill,” Metropolitan Leonid said.

To the question: “How many priests are there in the Alexandrian Patriarchate?”, he replied: “We have no data. But the most amazing thing is that they don’t either. Can you imagine, right? Despite the fact that the missionary coverage of Africa occurred at the beginning of the last century, for more than a hundred years people have been carrying out their ministry on the African continent, but they still do not have any statistics. And this also characterizes the Alexandrian episcopate.”