There are discussions going on in our churches over a candle box, why are Africans joining our Church? What do they want from us? Is it that we are no longer a "Russian" Church, but an "African" one?

They talk about it as something otherworldly, grandmothers in their repertoire, will hear the ringing and let's discuss in all sorts of ways what key it is in. The temple is not only a place for them to pray, here you can communicate, share culinary and medical recipes, and discuss the latest news. And, of course, there is something to discuss. So many events have been happening lately – just have time to react! Then, covid, then Ukraine, then now Africa.

Of course, by and large, our grandmothers do not care about international church issues. But I want to discuss something. In this matter, it seems to me, a time bomb is laid – its name is "unenlightened". We pay so much attention to the "Sunday" education of children that we completely forgot about the education of adults. And this is an important question. There are also many interesting points hidden here. The church is a huge organism that lives according to its own laws, you can't keep track of everything. But we have to reckon with the fact that there are many forces around us with their own interests, both economic, geopolitical, and ecclesiastical. After all, if we look into the past, we will see that all the big geopolitical disputes were based on doctrinal principles. At least to remember the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky – he was ready to lay down his head for faith, and not at all for material goods.

Adult schools will help us figure everything out

It would be good if schools for adults began to operate more actively in our temples in order to explain in an understandable language accessible to 50+ people why brothers in faith are so important to us in Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, and other countries. To explain that African countries, although poor, are not at all as "wild" as we used to portray them in children's books about Uncle Tom's hut, to explain that we need friends and allies in the new geopolitical conditions, that it is important for us to defend canonical church rules, and not the desires of individual church officials from neighboring continents. And finally explain that even with the incredible Western influence on everyone and everything, the Gospel and Christian love have not gone away from us. This is what we stand on, and not on inflated tomos.

And if Christ is with us, then even Africa, even Antarctica, and even both Americas are our canonical - Christian - territory.