ROC “exarch” in Africa Leonid (Gorbachev) said that the Russian Orthodox Church is actively developing a program to develop its presence in Africa after 102 African parishes from eight countries across the continent have joined the ROC. He also noted that the ROC will invade all Local Churches which have recognized the OCU and thus “fell into a schism,” as per the ROC.
In an interview with Interfax, the Metropolitan of the Moscow Patriarchate concluded that Africa is not the only territory where Russians will “protect the local clergy and population from schism.” The ROC has defended and will continue to defend the Orthodox, who “refuse to be part of the schism,” Gorbachev said.
Reflecting on future plans, the ROC hierarch did not rule out that on the territory of the African continent, Moscow Patriarchate will create a number of educational facilities, “if necessary and appropriate.”
“We did not prepare for anything in advance, but believe me, this is no problem. A full-scale program is in the works, not only for the development of parishes, but also for the full presence of the Russian Orthodox Church on the continent, which includes liturgical, educational, social, and humanitarian components,” said Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), ROC “exarch” in Africa.
He also noted that there are philanthropists in the Russian Church who provide assistance in many areas of its ministry and, while caring about the fate of the Universal Orthodoxy, remain ready “due to their generosity” to support the Russian mission in Africa. “We are grateful to them for understanding that the Russian Church is now becoming the guardian of Orthodoxy, not allowing the sacred canons to be violated in favor of any political decisions,” said the ROC “exarch.”
It should be recalled that the leader of the group of priests who shifted to the ROC died, allegedly in a road accident. His death, however, may have been a murder, as the ROC had been previously asked to publish lists of 102 clerics who allegedly joined the ROC. Moscow said it would not publish the lists because of a “threat to life” to African clerics. Immediately after that statement came the report about the deadly accident where the leader of the Moscow wing in the Alexandrian Church died.
On January 12, 2021, the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, as per Orthodox Times, stated that the ROC had bribed the clergy. The Synod also decided to inform the Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate and the local Churches through their superiors, through the Patriarchal Letters, which will describe the “plague” of confusion which has fallen on “our children born in Christ,” the faithful Africans, due to visible and invisible actions of the commissioned persons of the Russian Church.”
In addition, the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria decided to directly apply to transgressors the ecclesiastical penalties provided by the Divine and Holy Canons.
The Synod noted that most of the 102 priests who allegedly converted to the ROC “have either removed themselves or are of unknown origin, who identify themselves as Orthodox but never belonged to the Patriarchate of Alexandria,” the statement said.
