With great joy and spiritual emotion, we once again organized this year, on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 17th, in the outdoor area of the “Pierida” Center, the central event of our association, aimed at supporting the pastoral and philanthropic work of the Holy Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania. The “Missionary Archontariki” had the blessing of hosting as keynote speaker His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, who delivered a talk on the theme: “The Power of the Cross.”
With his theologically inspired words, His Eminence spoke about the Cross of the Lord as a source of salvation, blessing, and divine grace that encompasses the entire world. As he emphasized, “the power of the Cross is limitless, reaching east and west, north and south,” referring to the hymn from the Praises: “The breadth and length of the Cross is equal to that of the heavens.” The love of the Crucified Christ, as he noted, is a love without borders—one that unites, embraces, and redeems humanity. He also expressed his joy at being present at our event and stressed that supporting the Mission is a responsibility shared by all. “Even if we cannot be physically present in Africa, with our own means, we can support the struggle of our brothers and sisters,” he remarked.
Also present at the event was His Grace Bishop Agathonikos of Arusha and Central Tanzania, who presented the work of the Orthodox Mission in Central Tanzania. Through vivid examples and personal experiences, he highlighted the vital and difficult struggle taking place daily in areas of deep poverty and need, where the Orthodox Faith becomes a beacon of hope, comfort, and life. In conclusion, His Grace expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those who actively support the Mission’s work.
During the event, audiovisual material from the African Mission was presented, while the spiritual atmosphere was enriched by the melodic contributions of professors from the Association of Ecclesiastical and Traditional Music, who offered a particularly reverent and spiritually uplifting tone to our gathering.
The heartfelt and encouraging presence of many people from Pieria, Thessaloniki, and other regions demonstrated our people’s love for the Orthodox Mission. Your support gives us strength to continue the work of offering, love, and sacrifice.
