Exarch of ROC: Christians in Africa will be exterminated if not protected

Spiritual, humanitarian, social ministry and protection of the Christian population is the main mission of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, said Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, the ROC Exarch, during an online conference on the protection of Christians in Africa and the Middle East.

"In a month we have sent (to the continent – Ed.) two missionary groups that deal with the problems of Christians. If we do not do this, there will simply be no one to communicate with: all Christians will be killed,” explains the Exarch of the ROC. “We must protect priests and their families who are persecuted for various reasons. People are driven out of their homes and churches belonging to African communities.”

According to the Patriarchal Exarch, many see Africa as a kind of "a deep well".

"Prayer alone will not do anything there, though we trust in God alone. Setting aid centres and building churches, we are aware of the extent of the threat. We need to turn to international institutions to protect rights and freedoms," stresses Metropolitan Leonid of Klin.

According to Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the most disastrous situation is in Nigeria where 79% of all murders of Christians by extremists and militants take place.

"The authorities either hide the fact of persecution or are unaware of it," says Metropolitan Hilarion. “The most high-profile case is the kidnapping of 300 schoolgirls in March 2021.”

Last spring more than 300 girls were kidnapped by unknown gunmen from a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria.

As reported, the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa responded to accusations of "church racism".

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