Patriarchal exarch for Africa concludes visit to Uganda.

DECR Communication service, 15.12.2025. 

Fr om 6^th to 13^th December 2025 the Patriarchal exarch for Africa the metropolitan of Cairo and North Africa and temporary administrator of the diocese of South Africa Constantine visited Uganda. Accompanying the bishop on his visit was the chairman of the exarchate’s missionary department Father Georgy Maximov and his personal secretary reader V.V. Dendyuk.

Metropolitan Constantine visited the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Uganda, wh ere he baptized more than one hundred local people. During the course of the visit a meeting was held between metropolitan Constantine and the Russian ambassador to Uganda. The bishop also blessed a new well and the foundation of a new school in the north of Uganda. In addition, two new parishes were instituted and an assembly of the clergy of the three deaneries of the country was held, reports the website of the exarchate.

On 7^th December on the twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost on the feast of the Great Martyr Catherine metropolitan Constantine headed the Divine Liturgy at the parish of Saint Alexis of Moscow in the village of Nkokonjeru in the central deanery of Uganda.

Before the Liturgy began the metropolitan baptized seventeen local children.

After the service the exarch consecrated the site for the construction of a new church building dedicated to Saint Alexis of Moscow, held an assembly of the clergy of the deanery and inspected the school under the parish. On the same day the bishop visited the parish of Ss. Peter and Paul in the village of Mawangala, at which there is also a school.

Before the Liturgy metropolitan Constantine baptized one hundred and seventeen people who were former members of non-canonical communities who asked to be received into the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church. During the previous evening the bishop spoke with the leaders of these communities.

After the service metropolitan Constantine issued decrees instituting parishes of All the Saints who have shine forth in the land of Egypt and Saint Symeon the New Theologian, as well as a decree appointing Father Paul Baleijusi rector of these parishes.

After the service the exarch held a meeting with the clergy of the diocese of South Africa who had arrived from Ruanda.

The following day metropolitan Constantine visited the parish of the Life-Creating Trinity and the Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco Missionary Centre in the east deanery of Uganda.

On 11^th December the metropolitan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the parish of the Life-Bearing Fount icon of Our Lady in the village of Viduri in the north deanery of Uganda.

At the divine service metropolitan Constantine awarded the area dean Father Benjamin Odjoka the right to wear a gilded cross for his zealous ministry.

After the service under the presidency of metropolitan Constantine there was held an assembly of the clergy of the north deanery of Uganda.

On the same day metropolitan Constantine visited the parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in the village of Goulou in the north deanery of Uganda. The bishop blessed a well at this parish, which had been bored and constructed the previous week thanks to the aid given by donors of the Patriarchal exarchate for Africa. The exarch also consecrated the foundation stone for a future school at the parish.

On 12^th December metropolitan Constantine celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the parish of Saint Anthony the Great in the suburb of Kampala in the central deanery of Uganda.

At the conclusion of his visit a meeting was held between the metropolitan Constantine and the Russian ambassador to Uganda Vladlen Stanislavovich Semivolos.