ST. NICHOLAS ORTHODOX PARISH, KAPIRI-MPOSHI, ZAMBIA.
CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF ST. NICHOLAS, THE PATRON SAINT,
SUNDAY, 6th DECEMBER 2020.
With the blessings of His Eminence Ioannis, the Archbishop of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Zambia, there was great jubilation in Kapiri-Mposhi at the Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas on Sunday, the 6th December 2020 on the Feast Day of St. Nicholas, Patron Saint of the parish.
In spite of the bad weather, the attendance was very impressive. Apart from the local parishioners of St. Nicholas in Kapiri-mposhi, visitors from St. Nektarios Orthodox Church in Chingola, St. Andrews Orthodox Church in Kitwe attended as well as some Orthodox Church members from the Church of the Holy Annunciation Parish in Luanshya.
Divine Services were conducted that included Sunday Orthros, Divine Liturgy and the Service of Artoclasia. Liturgy was celebrated in different languages including Greek, English, Swahili and Bemba. Visitors were very impressed to hear chanting of Orthodox hymns in Bemba the local language which is mostly spoken in Zambia from Great Doxology up to the last hymn of Divine Liturgy.
After the Divine Liturgy, material donations were given from the visitors such as: 3* 20 liters PVA Paint, 2 * 5 liters Gloss Paint, 8 * Wire Brushes, 2 * Paint Brushes, 3 * Rollers and some money for painting the Church building. Also, 2 Altar Bread (Prosfora), 2 Kg Packet of Flour, a bottle of Olive Oil were received as well as some food items that were distributed to the members in attendance.
On behalf of the Archbishop and indeed on his behalf, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Mumbi, the Priest-In-Charge of the Kapiri Church, thanked the visitors for attending the Feast of St. Nicholas and for the donations. He thanked Archbishop Ioannis in a special way who saw it necessary to revamp the Kapiri Orthodox Church and for appointing him as its first parish priest. He highlighted the achievements they have scored so far from the time that the Kapiri Church was reopened and took time to elaborate the challenges they are undergoing as a new parish. He encouraged the parishioners to remain committed and to continue loving the Church by attending Church programs and services regularly and to start bringing new members.
Afterwards, lunch was served for everyone present and people were satisfied and very happy. They wished that such celebrations must be supported and appreciated. When everyone had eaten, there was dancing and drama by the youth.
The celebration went on until 15: 35 hours when Fr. Sylvester gave the closing prayer and dismissed the parishioners.