Metropolitan Konstantin of Cairo and North Africa Visited Countries of West and South Africa

DECR Communication Service, 29.04.2026.

Fr om April 15 to 24, 2026, the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Konstantin of Cairo and North Africa, temporarily administering the South African Diocese, made his first visits to Zimbabwe and Senegal, and also visited Côte d’Ivoire.

The hierarch met with officials, visited parishes and communities of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, celebrated services, and spoke with local residents and compatriots.

In Zimbabwe and Senegal, hierarchical services were celebrated for the first time.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the hierarch also held a general meeting of the clergy of the West African deanery (Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo, and Burkina Faso).

On April 15, the hierarch arrived in the capital of Zimbabwe, the city of Harare. He was accompanied by Archpriest Daniil Lugovoy, dean of the parishes of the South African Diocese in South Africa and rector of the St. Sergius Cathedral of the South African Diocese in Johannesburg, and by his personal secretary, Reader V.V. Dendyuk.

On the same day, Metropolitan Konstantin met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Zimbabwe and, concurrently, to the Republic of Malawi, N.V. Krasilnikov.

On April 16, Thursday of Bright Week, Metropolitan Konstantin visited the community of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the suburb of the Zimbabwean capital, Waterfalls.

On April 17, Friday of Bright Week, the feast of the icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring,” Metropolitan Konstantin celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Zimbabwe for the first time. The service took place in a community in the capital, Harare.

Concelebrating with him were Archpriest Daniil Lugovoy and Priest Savva Kadzava, a cleric of the South African Diocese in Malawi, who ministers to this community.

Among those present at the service were the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Zimbabwe and Malawi N.V. Krasilnikov, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Zimbabwe Yu.V. Nikolaychik, staff of the Russian embassy, and local residents.

On April 18, Metropolitan Konstantin arrived in Senegal, wh ere he met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Senegal and, concurrently, to the Republic of Gambia, D.V. Kurakov.

He was accompanied by Priest Georgy Maksimov, chairman of the Missionary Department of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, and his personal secretary, Reader V.V. Dendyuk.

On April 19, the Second Sunday after Pascha, of the Apostle Thomas, Antipascha, Metropolitan Konstantin celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the territory of the Russian Embassy in Dakar.

Among those present were Ambassador D.V. Kurakov, staff of the diplomatic mission, and compatriots residing in the country.

On April 21, Metropolitan Konstantin arrived in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). On the same day, he met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, A.E. Saltykov.

Earlier that day, within the embassy, the hierarch served a service of the blessing of water and a memorial litia.

On April 22, Metropolitan Konstantin celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Abidjan.

Concelebrating with the hierarch were Priest Georgy Maksimov and the clergy of the West African deanery: Dean of the West African Church District, parish rector Priest Parthenius Dansu and parish cleric Priest Nikolai Nsho (Côte d’Ivoire), Priest Stefan Assongba and Priest Evgeny Jossou (Benin), Priest Luka Somda (Burkina Faso), Priest Boris Pitasso (Togo).

On the same day, the hierarch held a meeting of the clergy of the deanery, at which a range of issues of church life in their countries of service was discussed.

At the conclusion of the trip, on April 23, Metropolitan Konstantin visited the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, Yamoussoukro, where he became acquainted with the sights of the city.

On that day, together with Ambassador A.E. Saltykov, he met with the president of the High Authority for Good Governance in Côte d’Ivoire, chairman of the Regional Council of the Marahoué Department, Zoro Epiphane Ballo. Possible avenues of cooperation were discussed at the meeting, reports the website of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.