Kilimanjaro, September 18, 2014
After his travels from Western Kenia, which were difficult and full of events, Metropolitan Makarios of Kenya arrived to the area of the Kilimanjaro mountain, reports Romfea.
Together with two local priests the hierarch has visited the church being constructed right at the foot of the mountain.
In 2004, the Metropolitan consecrated the Church of St. John the Baptist in Ilasit village of this district.
The hierarch thanked all those laboring for the mission in the region, particularly priests and alumni of the Patriarchal Academy. Addressing himself to the flock consisting of the Masai (a pastoral people living in Kenya and Tanzania) and Kikuyu (the largest ethnic group in Kenya) tribes’ representatives, Metropolitan Makarios stressed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is addressed to everybody without distinction as to tribe or language.
The hierarch very warmly recalled his first visit to this area when he, then still a layman, labored here as a missionary, travelling to all the neighboring villages, meeting the local population and preaching the Word of God.
“At that time there was no road here! Not even a path! Where it takes us three hours to drive today on the asphalt road, earlier it took us a whole day,” the metropolitan said. “And in the evenings elephants made noise in a very bizarre way. For me, then still inexperienced, it was so terrifying that I was unable to fall asleep feeling their presence near me.”
Before his departure the Metropolitan visited the house of an elderly Priest Roman, suffering from some strange disease for already several years. All prayed and wished him a speedy recovery.
