Photo: ?nyxthimeron.com
Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and All Africa celebrated the holy Sacrament of Baptism for 100 catechumens from the Patriarchate of Alexandria’s Diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar on Monday, September 15.
The service was celebrated in the presence of clergy and crowds of faithful. Among those baptized were infants, young people, and adults who thus entered the fullness of the Church, reports nyxthimeron.com.
During his homily, the Patriarch stated: “Baptism is the new birth of man, the entrance into the life of the Church, the hour when Heaven meets earth and man becomes a child of God. From today, you are not alone; you belong to the family of Christ, which is the Church, and you have as your guide the Light of the Cross and the hope of the Resurrection.”
Following the celebration of the Sacrament, Pat. Theodoros, accompanied by Bishop Prodromos of Toliara and Southern Madagascar and clergy and staff of the diocese conducted a pastoral visit to the Toliara Detention Center, visiting both the men’s and women’s wings.
In his address to the prisoners, the Patriarch noted: “Prison is not the end; it is a trial, a Cross that can become a path to the freedom of the soul. Have patience and trust in God. He sees your pain, hears your prayer and does not leave you alone. No person loses their worth before God; we are all His children and the Church will stand by you.”
At the end of the visit, the Patriarch personally distributed the offered meal to the prisoners, confirming through action the ethos of the Orthodox Church as a community of love, care and practical presence alongside every suffering person.
Earlier this year, the Orthodox Church in Madagascar saw additional baptisms when Bp. Prodromos baptized 100 children in January. In March, Metropolitan Constantine of Zaraisk, the Russian Orthodox Church’s Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, baptized 26 people, mostly teenagers and children.
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