Consecration of Church dedicated to the Mother of God, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
On Thursday, 30 November 2023, the feast day of Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosios of Kinshasa consecrated the Monastery Church of Panagia Paramythia in the Metochion of the Holy Monastery of Saint Athanasios the Athonite, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a quiet area, the blessed Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kinshasa had begun, with the donations of many brothers and sisters, the reconstruction of this Holy Church of the Virgin Mary, with the desire to slowly surround it with cells in which those who would desire to live a monastic life would be able. The Late Metropolitan was not able to rejoice in this life, seeing this place finally transformed into a monastery, but he rejoices now from heaven, seeing the Church being completed and consecrated by his spiritual child and successor, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosios. His joy is certainly greater seeing being built, next to the Church of Panagia Paramythia, the first building where Congolese monks will live.
The Consecration service was performed with the presence of only monks and novice monks, but also with three collaborators of the Metropolitan, Mr. Dimitrios Vamvakas, Mr. Theodoros Foumouzazas and Mrs. Theoni Fourkioti.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan, with much emotion, referred to the importance of the Consecration of a Holy Church, and to the consolation which the Virgin Mary offers to those who see her as their mother and invoke her, also speaking of the beauty of silence in the monastic life when it is connected with the attainment of the virtues. His Eminence wished that everyone’s souls would be perfumed with the work of the virtues, as on this day of the Consecration, the Church of Panagia was flooded with the fragrance of the Holy Spirit and also with the aromas used in the consecration service.
In conclusion, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosios of Kinshasa conveyed the blessings of His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa to the fathers of the monastic community.
