Deacon Gabriel Rakotoarivony, Madagascar

We Support A Mission Priest
through Orthodox Christian Mission Center
and the Fellowship of St. John the Divine

Madagascar is an island country located off of the coast of Mozambique and Tanzania. Being a very poor country, the average annual family income is $900. The people of Madagascar speak mostly Malagasy, but French, Swahili, Chinese, Indian, Hindi and English are also spoken. In the last few years the country has faced repeated political strife and droughts. Catholics and Protestants, respectively, represent the Christian religion with approximately 20% of the population following each.

The Greek Orthodox Church was established in Madagascar in 1927. Three churches were built in this first stage of Orthodox presence, but rarely was there a priest to teach or offer liturgies in them. These Churches ministered to the different ethnic Orthodox immigrant groups.

Fr. Nectarios Kellis, an Orthodox priest with missionary zeal, was serving an Orthodox church in Australia. With the blessings of his hierarch, he traveled to Madagascar in 1994 to bring the Orthodox faith to the people of that nation. The Orthodox Church in Antananarivo, which was built many years ago by Greek businessmen, had been closed for the last 32 years due to the lack of clergy. Fr. Nectarios opened the Church, began to clean and renovate it, and then conduct services. Three young natives began to attend and were so overcome by the beauty and solemnity of Orthodoxy that they began to attend catechism with Fr. Nectarios. On September 23, 1997 the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria created the independent Diocese of Madagascar. Patriarch Petros elevated Fr. Nectarios to the office of Bishop on November 23, 1997 – providing a spiritual father to guide and serve the growing number of Orthodox in Madagascar.

Today, the Orthodox Church in Madagascar has twelve Malagasy priests, 63 parishes and 7 schools. It has completed a new health clinic and supports over 250 orphans. The spread of Orthodoxy has happened through the efforts of many dedicated Malagasy people. Together with His Grace Nectarios, who offers vision and guidance, the church is steadily growing. A seminary has been set up in Antananarivo. Students student for the school year, but in the summer they engage in a very active 4-month catechism program which reaches 38 villages and covers 1000 kilometers – the breadth of the island. Through these efforts, the Orthodox presence is increasing despite many difficulties. The seminary students have been very helpful in translating into Malagasy the Orthodox service books and other necessary catechism material. After the untimely passing of His Grace Nectarios in a tragic helicopter crash a new Bishop has been assigned to Madagascar. After serving for many years in India, Fr. Ignatios Sennis has been elevated to Bishop of Madagascar.

Deacon Gabriel was born in the community of Alatsinainy, Madagascar in 1965. He completed primary and secondary school and is currently serving St. Tito parish, in the Andramasina region near his hometown. He was ordained as a Deacon in February 2006 by His Grace Archbishop Ignatios of Madagascar. Deacon Gabriel is supported in his ministry by his wife, Sofia, and six children.

It is our hope that through this funding Deacon Gabriel will be able to support his family and thus proceed to realizing his dream of becoming a priest. Please pray for this new member of our parish and his family, along with all whom he serves in Madagascar.

If you are interested in aiding this ministry, please contact Jeff George or any of the Fellowship members. Thank you!