Russian Orthodox Church to Build Religious Center, Schools & Hospitals in Uganda

On the oldest Africa-based Russian Orthodox church’s 90th anniversary, the Russian patriarch's exarch in Africa Metropolitan Leonid of Klin is visiting Morocco from December 17 to 19.

The Russian patriarch's exarch in Africa, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, announced plans to construct schools, hospitals and a religious center in Uganda on Sunday.

"In the nearest future, Uganda will become one of our strongholds, where the religious and administrative center of the exarchate will be built," Metropolitan Leonid said during a service in Morocco, where he traveled to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Holy Resurrection Church, the oldest of the three functioning Russian Orthodox churches in the African country.

The Morocco trip was Metropolitan Leonid’s third visit to Africa as exarch. Previously, he visited Uganda in May this year and then Egypt in June.

Notably, during his visit to Morocco, Metropolitan Leonid ordained two African clergymen from Uganda and the Central African Republic at a liturgy for the first time in Russian Orthodox Church history.

In connection with the latest visit of a Russian clergyman, Russian Consul General in Casablanca Oleg Prokhorov praised Morocco's King Mohammed VI for his balanced foreign policy and commitment to Morocco-Russia relations.

Prokhorov also told Sputnik that the metropolitan’s visit to Morocco was very important for the local Russian diaspora, estimated at some 4,000 people.

"We are always ready to welcome envoys of the Russian Orthodox Church… An event like the African exarch’s visit is even more welcome. We were looking forward to it," the diplomat said.

In late November, Abigail Jepchirchir from Kenya - a first African novice entered the Orthodox Monastery of the Nativity of God's Mother Convent in Moscow. Meanwhile, Moscow’s Convent of the Conception Monastry also expressed a desire to accept novices from Africa. According to Metropolitan Leonid, newcomers from Tanzania, Uganda, and Nigeria are now expected to arrive in Moscow's monasteries.