The so-called “Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in Africa,” Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), said that more than 150 clerics from 12 countries across Africa have been admitted to the ROC in Africa, and their number is allegedly growing. Thus, the Moscow Patriarchate continues to draw large numbers, but the lists of clerics who officially joined the ROC have not been published. This makes it impossible to verify any such statements.
In an interview with Spas TV, Metropolitan Leonid Klinsky also claimed that it’s not some banned clerics or “schismatics” who are joining the ROC, as theologians and the Church of Alexandria said, while “all those who are willing to join the ROC are being thoroughly vetted.”
In addition, Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev) assured that the ROC intends to develop not only religious but also social activities in Africa, “so as not to profit off Africans.” He also noted that the ROC is preparing to appoint bishops in Africa.
Earlier, Metropolitan Leonid Klinsky (Gorbachev) said that the Patriarch of Alexandria had been sent a lot of money. “How much was done for Patriarch Theodore, how much money was sent,” he said. Gorbachev also set conditions for the Patriarch of Alexandria and demanded that he repent, saying only in this case would they talk. Gorbachev also said that the ROC would invade all Orthodox Churches that recognized the OCU to “save them from schism.”
It should be recalled that Archimandrite of the ROC, Feognost (Pushkov), noted that the actions of the ROC in the African domain are equivalent to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He also said that 102 African priests had joined the ROC because they had been looking to improve their difficult financial condition. In his publication, Pushkov clarified that the real number of clerics who applied to the ROC stood at only 51, not 102. Of these 51, none have officially joined the ROC. Moreover, of these 51 clerics, only a few are actual clerics with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The majority are either the clerics with dubious jurisdiction (and dubious ordination), or banned from serving or even stripped of their position in the Patriarchate of Alexandria on very serious grounds.
