The missionary who captured the heart of Africa

Τhe president of the Greek Foreign Mission, Charalambos Metallidis (left), and manager Nikos Aslanidis are seen extracurricular the location of Chrysostomos.

Defying information and convention, Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, canonized successful 2025, emerged arsenic a pioneering Orthodox missionary successful Africa, reshaping lives crossed a volatile continent. 

In the 1960s, helium reached communities successful Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Congo, learning Swahili and entering, arsenic 1 relationship enactment it, ‘the bosom of the African mentality’ to preach. His power proved transformative. 

Samuel Ntougou, erstwhile a mediocre kid successful agrarian Kenya, recalled successful comments to Kathimerini however the clergyman “offered to nonstop maine to Greece to study,” a motion that led to a distinguished vocation successful forensic medicine and academia. 

Working amid disease, equipped struggle and anti-colonial unrest, Chrysostomos rejected coercive models of conversion. Instead, helium built schools, clinics and parishes, trained section clergy and translated liturgy, fostering an indigenous Orthodoxy. 

Driven by work alternatively than youthful idealism, helium spent 12 years successful ngo work earlier dying successful Congo successful 1972. 

Today, his bequest endures successful the maturation of Orthodoxy crossed Africa, rooted successful respect, acquisition and spiritual exchange.