Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa
| Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa | |
|---|---|
| Патриарший экзархат Африки | |
| Orientation | Russian Orthodoxy |
| Theology | Eastern Orthodox |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Structure | 2 dioceses (formally) |
| Metropolitan | Constantine (Ostrovsky) (since October 11, 2023) |
| Calendar | Julian, Revised Julian (temporarily) |
| Full communion | Russian Orthodox Church |
| Region | 30,370,000 km2 |
| Language | English, French, Church Slavonic, local languages (first of all: Swahili, Afrikaans, Malagasy, Tiv, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Kikuyu, Tiriki, Lingala) |
| Liturgy | Byzantine |
| Headquarters | Moscow, Russia (temporarily) |
| Territory | Africa |
| Founder | Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church |
| Origin | December 29, 2021 Moscow |
| Recognition | condemned by Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople |
| Seminaries | no; students are sent to study in Russia |
| Official website | https://exarchate-africa.ru |
The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa (Russian: Патриарший экзархат Африки, French: l'Exarchat patriarcal d'Afrique) is the exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa. It was formed by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on December 29, 2021.
The exarchate was formed on the territory of the recognized jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria after the recognition by the Patriarchate of Alexandria of the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
As of February 2025, according to official data, the Exarchate has about 350 parishes in 34 countries of the African continent, with resident priests in 24 countries. There are 259 priests and 7 deacons in the clergy of the Exarchate. There are 3 monastic communities.