Metropolitan Konstantin of Cairo and North Africa, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, has paid an official visit to Malawi, where he held a series of meetings focused on expanding the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and providing humanitarian assistance to the country’s population.

During his visit to the Malawian capital, Lilongwe, Metropolitan Konstantin met with Nikolai Krasilnikov, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Malawi and, concurrently, to Zimbabwe. The discussions centered on church mission work and social initiatives in the region. As a symbolic gesture, the metropolitan presented the ambassador with an icon of Christ the Savior.

The following day, the exarch met with Pastor Timothy Hoviwa, adviser on religious affairs to the administration of the President and Government of Malawi. Metropolitan Konstantin briefed him on the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country, including humanitarian programs aimed at assisting communities affected by the ongoing food crisis. Representatives of the exarchate’s missionary department also took part in the meeting.

As part of his pastoral visit, Metropolitan Konstantin traveled to the parish of St. Mary of Egypt in the village of Lumbadzi. There, he addressed parishioners with a sermon and distributed pectoral crosses and icons to the faithful.

The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa previously launched a fundraising campaign in December 2025 to support Malawians facing hunger. The humanitarian initiative is linked to the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which struck the country in 2023, followed by a prolonged drought. The natural disasters claimed the lives of around 1,200 people, devastated agricultural land, and left more than one million residents at risk of food insecurity.

Funds raised through the campaign are expected to be used to purchase maize flour and soybeans, staple foods for local families. The exarchate noted that the Russian Orthodox Church has already provided assistance to Malawi in the past, including food supplies, church repairs, and projects aimed at improving access to clean drinking water.

According to the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, a new water well was completed in early January in the Chiradzulu District. The project has provided several communities with access to safe drinking water, sparing residents journeys of up to two hours to reach unsafe water sources.