Metropolis of Kinshasa

The Holy Archdiocese of Central Africa is a diocese under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Its territory includes the parishes and missions located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC) and the Congolese Republic (Congo-Brazzaville).

History

The Archdiocese of Central Africa was established in 1958 by the Patriarchate of Alexandria with Archbishop Kyprianos as the first ruling hierarch. He was succeeded by Bp. Nicodemus. In 1977, Bp. Timothy (Kontomeros) became the ruling bishop of the missionary activities of the diocese until his repose in 2003.

In 2003, Archimandrite Ignatios (Madenlidis), who had been a missionary in Kananga for twenty years, was consecrated as the Archbishop of Central Africa. After his resignation in 2010, Archimandrite Nikiforos (Mikragiannanitis) was consecrated on October 24, 2010 and enthroned in the Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas in Kinshasa on December 19, 2010.

Ruling Bishops

• Archbishop Kyprianos 1958 - ?
• Nicodemus  ? - 1977
• Metropolitan Timothy (Kontomeros) 1977-2003
• Metropolitan Ignatios (Madenlides) 2003-2010
• Archbishop Nikiforos (Mikragiannanitis) 2010-Present

See also

• Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, pioneering missionary to Congo.

Further reading

• Demetrios Aslanidis and Monk Damascene Grigoriatis. Apostle to Zaire: The Life & Legacy of Blessed Father Cosmas of Grigoriou. Uncut Mountain Press, 2001. 240pp. ISBN 9789608677814

Sources

• The Official site of the Archdiocese of Central Africa of the Orthodox Church
• Patriarchate of Alexandria Archdiocese website
• The Ceremony of the Great Message of the Elected Metropolitan Mikiphoros of Central Africa