Palm Sunday, on 1st April 2018, was celebrated in splendour at the Holy Parish Church of St Irene in the city of Dolisie, conducted by His Eminence Panteleimon, Metropolitan of Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon, who also served the Divine Liturgy and preached the homily.
Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence expressed the gratitude of the local Church to the humble and tireless Parish Priest, Fr. Paul Diafouka, giving him a new mourning set of vestments, for the spiritual regeneration of the Parish since he undertook his pastoral duties (2014), as well as for the effective manner of exercising his duties as the Director of the Orthodox Orphanage "Agios Efstathios" with a spirit of love and understanding for all, as well as excellent cooperation with the Bishop. The distribution of the palms followed together with the traditional local chants of Palm Sunday, according to tradition.
A meeting then followed, with the Parish Priest, the Parish Council, the Readers, the members of the choir, the ladies group and the ladies who take care of the church, during which the Metropolitan explained issues of divine worship and standard order of sacred Services, passed on paternal guidance and gave advice in view of the coming Great and Holy Week. He then left to drive to the See of the Holy Metropolis in Pointe-Noire.