In an atmosphere of devotion the Parish Community of the Resurrection of the Lord in the Km4 suburb of Pointe –Noire celebrated its annual celebration of this Great Feast.
In one of the poorest areas of the city, this Parish, under the spiritual supervision of the demure and kindParish Priest, Fr. Levrentios Mpinga, it is defined by the blessed simplicity and disposition of solidarity of its faithful. The annual parish celebration is the ultimate in co-operation and concord. The parish council, the ladies group (bureau de mamans), the youth choir, dressed identically in the apparel of all the members of the Parish according to local custom,were all present at the Liturgical Gathering.
With them was the choir of the Holy Cathedral of St Dimitrios, together with the Priests of the other Parish Communities of the city, Rev. Fr Maximos Oumba Vicar General of the Holy Diocese and Fr Silouan Nkounkou and many of their parishioners who came to con-celebrate with their brothers and sisters in the suburb of Km4. The decision taken in recent days by the Bishop and the three Parish Priests of Pointe-Noire is the common prayer of all Orthodox, clergy and laity, in the annual festival of each one of the three Parishes of the city (attending one church) as an expression of Christian unity, fraternity and love.
His Grace Panteleimon Bishop of Brazzaville and Gabon, conductedthe Divine Liturgy, preached the homily and praised all who had contributed to the excellent organization of the festivities. Also, by Venerable permission and blessing of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, he awarded the office of Economos (Steward) to Parish Priest Fr Lavrentios Mpinga, on the completion of 10 years of productive priestly ministry, and ordained three new Readers for the Parish Community of the Resurrection of the Lord.
The spiritual joy of the Eucharistic Gathering was followed by the traditional dances and songs of the youth and the offering of food to all the people in the church yard.