The Feasts of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit were celebrated in every corner of the Holy Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania. On the Saturday before Pentecost, the Divine Liturgy and the Trisagion (memorial service) for the repose of the souls of all our departed brothers and sisters were held in every parish, as prescribed by the tradition of the Church for the “Soul Saturday.”
Particularly significant is the fact that our native brothers and sisters are coming into contact with the Orthodox tradition, and together with the clergy of their parishes, they prepare the kollyva (memorial wheat offering) for the departed. On Soul Saturday, following the Divine Liturgy, a meal was offered in the village of Niamihuu, a donation by the missionary team of our sister Sarra Amanatidou from Stuttgart, Germany, for the repose of their beloved departed.
On Pentecost Sunday, the Divine Liturgy and the Kneeling Vespers were celebrated. By the grace of God and the tireless efforts of Sister Alexia and the translation committee, the sacred services for the entire year are being enriched so that the faithful can experience the liturgical richness of our Church. The center of the celebration was the Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Arusha, where a hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated, presided over by His Grace Bishop Agathonikos of Arusha and Central Tanzania. On Pentecost Sunday, a meal was offered as a donation by our sister Penelope for the repose of Panagiotis, Antonios, Elisabeth, and Penelope.
On Monday of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Mlabalasi in the Iringa region celebrated its feast. This village is situated in a remote area on the steppe of the Maasai. The road leading to it is rough, full of stones and trees. However, its residents show exceptional zeal — one sign of this is the beautification of the church courtyard, where they have planted various flowers, which they water using water from the well our Association built two years ago. The Divine Liturgy was truly a unique experience, as the children’s voices of the chanters gave the impression that the church was filled with angels melodiously chanting the hymns of the feast. After the Divine Liturgy, a meal was offered, a donation from Dimitrios G. and his wife Nikoleta for the health and repose of their loved ones.
