Orthodox Pastoral visit to a penitentiary in Central Tanzaniatranslated

Responding to the evangelical exhortation of our Lord "I was in prison, and come to me" (Matthew 25, 36), the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Arusha Mr. Agathonikos visited the Penitentiary in Iringa, Central Tanzania. During the visit, His Eminence offered the prisoners packages of food and personal hygiene items, expressing the practical concern of the Orthodox Church for people who are being tested in the difficult conditions of the prison. At the same time, he distributed Orthodox spiritual books translated into the Swahili language, so that those who wish to have the opportunity to know our Lord Jesus Christ and the Orthodox faith.

During his meeting with the Directorate of the Penitentiary, His Holiness was informed of a particularly moving reality. Many prisoners, although eligible for release, remain incarcerated because they are unable to pay off small financial obligations or fines imposed on them. For these people, who mostly come from families living in extreme poverty, even the small amount of 100-200…