On Saturday, September 21, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America received in the Orthodox Church 10 catechumens through Baptism and Chrismation at Ss. Catherine and George Greek Orthodox Church in Astoria, NY. This service is the first of its kind since the inception of the African-American Outreach Mission was officially launched in 2022 by Archbishop Elpidophoros. The fourteen catechumens who have been catechized and have prepared for the sacrament are comprised of Black families who migrated from different African countries and all the Islands of the Caribbean, as well as those who were born in America. V. Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostom Onyekakeyah, Project Coordinator for Mission and Outreach Development at the Archdiocese encountered the newly illumined during his many outreach and visitations during the year. They have all been interested and subsequently drawn by the beauty of the Orthodox Christian ancient worship, sound teaching and they have a keen interest to grow their faith in Orthodoxy.
© PHOTOS: GOA/Dimitrios Panagos