Figure 1.--This photo was taken in front of the Orthodox church of Cape Towna. It shows two boys that have just been baptized. The Orthodox Church like Baptists celebrates the Baptism by immersion. The boys still are wearing the white tunics. This is a little different than the Baptists Church, here the tunics are dry. They, indeed, are not worn for the immersion, but after the immersion that, traditionally, takes place without any clothing.

Orthodoxy has aong history in North Africa, areas of the old Romn Empire and later Byzantium. Orthodoxy in Sub-Saharan Africa has a much more recent history, mostly beginning in the early-20th century. The Orthodoxy south of the Sahara began primarily with Greek immigrants, And as a result the Church is primarily what might be called an immigrant church. Orthodox churches have also been founded by other European immigrantsgroups including Russians and Serbs. These are, however, relatively small immigrant groups. The Orthodoc faith in South Africa covers several different churches. The largest is the Greek Orthodox Church. Greek Orthodoxy in South Africa is divided into two Archbishoprics on geographical lines. The Archbishopric of Good Hope includes the coastal Provinces (KZN and Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape Provinces). The Archbishopric of Johannesburg and Pretoria includes the inland provinces (Free State,North West Province, Gauteng , Limpopo, Mpumalanga). Both the coastal and interior churches are organized under the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Orthodox Church in South Africa is not exclusively Greek. Other immigrant communities also support Orthodox churches. There are services in Russian, Serbian, Greek, Afrikaans, and English. And since the the end of Apartheid, the Metropolitan has attempted a missionary outreach in the black and colored townships. Mission churches are developing! With hope for men called to the Holy Orders. The Metropolitan had launched a seminary education program. A small number of black priests have being ordained. There is alao a Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Church. There are about 10 Coptic churches in southern Africa.

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Created: 9:30 PM 6/1/2013
Last updated: 9:30 PM 6/1/2013