ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA

The Orthodox Church in Africa is unique in its establishment. It was prophesied by Isaiah in 750 B.C. (Is. 19:19) and fulfilled by the flight of Jesus' family into Egypt to escape King Herod's tyranny, where the Holy Family eventually found refuge among the Africans. Likewise, the Church in Alexandria, Egypt became on of the four primary Christian sees in the world, among the churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome, joined only later by Constantinople.

As is prophesied in the Old Testament, African kings were among the first among the nations to know about the birth of Christ, and come and offer gifts and worship him. (Pslm 68:31, 72:10; Is. 60:5-6). These were the beginnings of African Christianity.

These roots were strengthened later by the ministries of the apostles, including the Apostle Symeon, ("the Canaanite") who was African. Simon of Cyrene, (which is now modern-day Libya) who helped Christ carry the cross and was a follower and disciple, was also an African. Simon's devotion was such that both he and his two sons followed Christ (Mk. 15:21); his sons turned out to be strong and effective messengers of the Gospel and became leaders in the Church.

Other apostles travelled throughout Africa. The Apostle John Mark ministered extensively in Alexandria, Egypt, and in fact was martyred there. St. Matthew went to Ethiopia and when he arrived there, found many Ethiopian Christians. During this period, Christianity developed in Egypt, Nubia, Sudan and Ethiopia.

After the bloody period of persecution during 203 A.D. - 313 A.D., the African Church began the monastic movement known throughout the world today. The African Church is also credited with the establishment of the first catechetical school (in Alexandria) and, after Saint Athnaisus' skillful defense of the Orthodox faith in front of the first Ecumenical Council, the formulation of the Nicene Creed ("We believe in one God, the Father Almighty").

There were many other Africans who were disciples, teachers and prophets of early Christianity. Symeon, called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene were both prophets in the Antiochian Church. And as many remember, Philip was called by divine intervention to meet the Ethiopian eunuch, who himself was a man of great statuture: he was the finance minister under Queen Candace of Ethiopia.

Indeed, whatever they may have been called, Africans, Hammites, Canaanites, Cushites, or even Semites, black Africans were a part of Christianity from its very beginning and played a spiritual role in spreading the Word.