As we approach the year 2000 there are still nations and people who have not yet heard of the message of Christianity. From the 1960s a re-awakening occurred within the Orthodox Church concerning the establishment of Orthodox Missionary Churches in Africa and Asia.
The first modern day Orthodox Missionary to the African continent was Fr Chrysostomos Papasarandopoulos who planted the seeds of the vibrant Orthodox Missionary Churches which today have become entrenched in Africa.
Today the Patriarchate of Alexandria consists of approximately 300,000 Africans who have recently embrace Orthodoxy. Being true to the calling “Go Ye and Teach” missionary priests have been the pioneers in establishing Orthodox Missionary Churches in Asia and Africa.
A nation in Africa that recently saw the establishment of a new Orthodox Missionary Church is Madagascar. Due to the tireless efforts of the very Reverend Archimandrite Nectarios Kellis who recently was elected to the episcopacy by the Patriarchate of Alexandria to become the first Orthodox Bishop of Madagascar an entire new Orthodox Missionary Church was born. Originally the former Abbot of St Nectarios Greek Orthodox Monastery in Croydon Park, Adelaide he is the first clergyman to establish an Orthodox Missionary Church in Africa from Australia.
Madagascar is one of the largest island nations in the world. It is situated in the Indian Ocean east of Mozambique. Crippled with a population of 13 million Madagascar faces the difficulties which prevail, in most third world nations. A former French colony Madagascar is comprised of 18 different tribes. Over half of the population 53% are pagans while 40% are Christians of various denominations who also incorporate their pagan customs and traditions with their brand of Christianity.
Prior to Fr Nectarios Kellis arrival in 1994 in Madagascar not one native Orthodox believer existed. After the Second World War a small Greek Orthodox community was established in Madagascar which sought to fulfil the spiritual needs of the local Greek community which comprised mainly of traders and merchants.
In 1948 the Greek Orthodox Community of Antananarivo built the Church of “The Dormition of Our Lady”. In 1952 the few Greeks resident in Majunga established the Church of St Nicholas which unfortunately was never completed, as the small Greek community of the region, dispersed. Thus once a year on the feast of St. Nicholas the priest from Antananarivo would visit the church in Majunga to conduct the festal liturgy. During this time the Greek community of Madagascar comprised of approximately 500 members.
In 1960 when Madagascar was granted independence by the French, most of the European nationals left the nation in the wake of new legislation that was introduced, which disfavoured foreigners. Thus there was a huge exodus of Greeks and in 1966 the sole Greek Orthodox priest departed as the local Greek community virtually vanished. As a consequence the Greek Orthodox Church in Madagascar closed. The few remaining Greeks then turned to the Anglican church to conduct their weddings and funerals.
Today in Madagascar there are 3 Greek families resident and a few people that periodically come from Greece and work in Madagascar for a few months in the year. A few Russians exist who primarily are based in the Russian Embassy whilst there also 2 Romanian and 2 Ukrainian women who are Orthodox.
The Orthodox Mission in Madagascar began in July 1994. The first 3 natives were baptised on 30 August 1994. On 1 September the small Orthodox Mission headed by Fr Nectarios Kellis began its visits to the villages where paganism is still practiced.
In some of the villages they invited Fr Nectarios and his catechists to return and begin preaching in their villages, regularly. By the start of November 1994 in 7 villages organized catechism was being conducted, thus the seeds of Orthodoxy quickly took root in Madagascar.
Literature in French on Orthodoxy was distributed to the locals whilst the liturgy was translated into the local language. One of the catechists John was invited by His Eminence Chrysostomos Archbishop of Zimbabwe to Harare in order to prepare for the priesthood.
John was ordained to the diaconate and in March of 1995 His Eminence Chrysostomos of Zimbabwe during an official visit to Madagascar ordained deacon John, the first Malagasy to the priesthood.
Chris another catechist was sent to the Orthodox Seminary in Nairobi Kenya whilst another, Nicholas was ordained to the priesthood in November of 1995. Initially for the first 2 years catechism, occurred in the open or in the huts of the locals. As at that time the financial resources of the Mission were limited, it was decided to erect 3 temporary makeshift churches with the assistance of a few believers in Australia.
Thus in March 1996 2 small churches were erected the Church of St Paul in the village of Sakavilani and the Church of St Barbara in the village of Aoukiliberengi. In May of 1996 the third temporary makeshift church was built in the village of Beseli.
The first permanent stone church of St Alexander began to be built in June of 1996 which was financed by the faithful from Adelaide. The second permanent stone church of St Constantine and Helen was erected due to the generous donation of an anonymous donor from Thessaloniki from September of 1996 many benefactors expressed their desire to sponsor the building of churches in Madagascar.
After Fr Nectarios visit to Australia in June-July 1996 interest began to emerge amongst the clergy and faithful in the life of the Mission in Madagascar. Various talks and functions were organized and as a consequence financial and was raised together with various provisions which assisted the manifold needs of the Mission in Madagascar.
Containers and parcels consisting of clothing, paper, exercise books, pencils, food provisions and medicine were sent to the Mission from Australia and Greece. The parish of St. Spyridon in Adelaide undertook to sponsor the building of the Church of St. Spyridon in Abohintava.
Another church that is being built is that of St. Titus, which the Metropolitans of Redthimon and Chania in Crete are sponsoring. Further another 3 benefactors have expressed their desire to sponsor the building of churches in Madagascar.
Today 28 organized parishes exist in Madagascar the majority are scattered in village communities. In all of the villages virtually where there are Orthodox catechumens no other Christian denomination has any presence. Eventually thus these entire villages will become Orthodox, in the future.
Some of the philanthropic activities of the Orthodox Mission in Madagascar include:
· The provision of a morning breakfast to 30 destitute children in Antananrivo
· The sponsorship of the school fees, text books and medical expenses of 20 destitute children
· The establishment of an Orthodox primary school in Ambovtramanessi
· Whilst plans are underway to establish a second school in Tulear when the necessary funds will be donated
· Three wells were established in villages that had no wells and the women were forced to walk for long distances to retrieve water
· In January 1997 a farm was established in which a 100 mango trees were planted
· Plans exist to build a medical clinic and a pharmacy

Translated from the Missionary periodical ‘St Kosmas’ by George Isihos.

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