Angola: Non-Canonical Community Welcomed into the African Exarchate of the Russian Church

Luanda, Angola, January 14, 2025 – Another non-canonical community in Africa has joined the Russian Orthodox Church’s African Exarchate.

On January 5, in the Angolan capital of Luanda, Fr. Rafael Da Conceiaco celebrated the Baptism of 27 local residents. Then he celebrated “the rite of joining the Orthodox Church for more than 200 believers who had transferred from a non-canonical structure,” the Exarchate reports.

Afterwards, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, during which the newly illumined partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

The people from the non-canonical structure initially learned about the Russian Orthodox Church’s presence in Africa online in 2022. The former “priest” of the community, Seraphim, contacted the Department for External Church Relations and expressed the community’s desire to join the Orthodox Church. Seraphim agreed to give up his rank and be received as a layman.

Missionaries visited the community several times for catechetical talks.

The Russian Church previously received formerly non-canonical communities Congo: Non-canonical community received into Russian Church’s Africa ExarchateThe leader of the community, “Bishop” Cleonik Madudu, and the other “clergy” were received as laymen.

“>in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon: Non-canonical communities received into Russian Church’s African ExarchateAll of the former leaders have been received as laymen.”>Gabon, and more than 50 members of a non-canonical group Cameroon: 50+ members of non-canonical groups join Russian Church’s African ExarchateMore than 50 members of a non-canonical group in Cameroon have joined the Russian Orthodox Church’s African Exarchate this month.”>in Cameroon.

Multiple mass Baptisms celebrated in Uganda during holiday seasonA series of mass Baptisms were celebrated in Uganda during the Nativity season.

“Yesterday, OrthoChristian reported on a recent series of mass Baptisms in Uganda.