The holy Church of Sts. Arsenios the Cappadocian and Paisios the Athonite in Morogoro in eastern Tanzania was the scene of a mass Baptism over the weekend.
Altogether, 182 people, including dozens of former Muslims, received Holy Baptism at the hands of Metropolitan Dimitrios of Irinoupolis (Patriarchate of Alexandria) and concelebrating priests after undergoing catechism by Archimandrite Eleftherios (Balakos), reports Orthodox Mission of Tanzania.
Such mass Baptisms have been held every year before Christmas for 19 years now. Met. Dimitrios has baptized more than 60,000 people in Tanzania since 2004.
The Divine Liturgy was also celebrated, at which the newly glorified received the precious Body and Blood of Christ for the first time.
“The joy of the newly baptized (among them dozens of Muslims) was truly touching, with faces that shone with grace and devoutness, they celebrated their integration into the Orthodox family of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!!!” the report concludes.
Mass Baptisms are a common occurrence in Tanzania and throughout Africa. OrthoChristian has reported on four in Tanzania just in the past year (see here, here, here, and here).
Morogoro, Morogoro Region, Tanzania, December 11, 2023
