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The Orthodox Church in Kenya was established
from the beginning of this century. First Greek emigrants brought the
Orthodox faith to this country and then the Africans themselves discovered
it and have embraced it since 1930.
The people of Kenya were officially accepted under the jurisdiction
of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in 1946 and since then there has been
a close relationship with the Apostolic See of St. Mark. Through the Patriarchate
of Alexandria the Orthodox African people of Kenya are recognised internationally.
During the emergency period the Orthodox Church of Kenya played
a leading part in the struggle for the Independence of the country. The
Mau Mau movement had many leaders from the Orthodox faithful especially
in Kiambu. It was during this time that Orthodox Schools and Churches
were closed by the colonial government and many Orthodox priests were
imprisoned.
In 1958, because of the rapid development of the Orthodox faith
in East Africa, a Metropolitan 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. Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, on the invitation
of the Mzee Kenyatta visited Kenya and was given the warm welcome of a
national hero. His love for the African Orthodox people of Kenya is evident
through the construction of a Technical School and a Theological Seminary
for the education of the African people. The African Orthodox people of
Kenya owe their spiritual growth in the Orthodox faith to the great generosity
of the late Archbishop Makarios. The Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary today
serves not only the needs of the people of East Africa but of Western
Africa also.
The African Orthodox Church of Kenya under the canonical jurisdiction
of the Holy Archbishopric of Irinoupolis is the only legitimate Church
in the country. Today through the generosity of the Orthodox people from
abroad (Greece, Finland, America, Cyprus) the Orthodox Church in Kenya
is making a great contribution to the social, economic and educational
development of the country, Many Secondary Schools, Clinics, Nursery Schools
and hospitals are to be found throughout the country and hundreds of Scholarships
are given to children of Kenya for their educational needs. The number
of Orthodox faithful in Kenya is increasing daily and is estimated today
at around 300,000 souls.
Read
other writings by His Eminence Metropolitan Makarios in Adventures
in the Unseen
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