The Orthodox University of the Congo is a higher education institution established with the aim of promoting knowledge, research, and Orthodox Christian values within Congolese society. Located in an environment conducive to learning, the University is committed to providing high-quality academic education that combines tradition with modernity.
The Orthodox University of Kinshasa
Message from the Rector
In the heart of Africa, where life is confronted with daily hardships, in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the district of Mont Ngafula, stands a unique kind of beehive: the Orthodox University of the Congo “Saint Athanasios the Athonite” (L’Université Orthodoxe au Congo « Saint Athanase l’Athonite »).
The University serves as the academic and scientific arm of the Orthodox Mission abroad. It owes its existence, particularly that of its Faculty of Theology, to the sacred inspiration and vision of two distinguished spiritual shepherds of Central Africa: Metropolitan Timotheos Kontomerkos (1929–2003) and his successor, Metropolitan Ignatios Madenlidis (2003–2010).
The vision and the foundation
Metropolitan Timotheos departed this life, taking with him his unfulfilled dream. Nevertheless, he left behind the first essential resources he had gathered for this purpose. His worthy successor, Metropolitan Ignatios, who later became Metropolitan of Pentapolis and is now of blessed memory, brought this vision to life and proceeded with the establishment of the Faculty of Theology.
It was during his episcopacy that the Faculty was officially inaugurated and began its operations. It is not merely another academic institution among the many found in the city of Kinshasa; it is a living centre of spiritual renewal, a place where the light of knowledge meets the sweetness of true Faith.
The inauguration of the Faculty of Theology
The official inauguration of the Faculty of Theology took place on 23 September 2007, and was conducted by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II, together with Metropolitan Ignatios, in the presence of the Minister of Education of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, local authorities, the President of the Hellenic Community, clergy, and faithful.
The continuation of the work
The late Metropolitan Ignatios established a shining beacon of education and hope in the Congo. This precious legacy was embraced and continued with selfless devotion by his successor, the late Metropolitan Nikephoros of Kinshasa (2010–2021), who served this academic and pastoral mission with extraordinary patience and dedication.
During his episcopacy, a Department of Computer Science was established and operated alongside the Faculty of Theology. With God’s help and the invaluable support of the friends of the Orthodox Mission, we continue this sacred work, making it our constant responsibility to preserve the legacy entrusted to us.
New departments and official recognition
Through this blessed succession of spiritual shepherds, the vision remains alive, transforming the Orthodox witness into meaningful service and spiritual renewal for the people of the Congo.
Beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year, new departments of Medicine, Law, and Political Science will commence their operations.
Furthermore, on 18 September 2026, the Orthodox University “Saint Athanasios the Athonite” was officially recognised by the Board of Directors of DOATAP (the Hellenic National Academic Recognition and Information Center) and included in the Greek National Register of Foreign Higher Education Institutions.
The image of the beehive
We have compared the University to a beehive. And indeed, that is precisely what it is.
Just as bees set out every morning to gather nectar from flowers, so too do the young people of the Congo arrive at this spiritual beehive, filled with a thirst for learning, for light, and for Truth.
Here, they are nourished by the sources of Orthodox Theology, transforming their efforts into the “honey” of wisdom, moral integrity, and service to others.
The queen of this beehive is Divine Grace, which unites souls and gives meaning to everyone’s efforts.
The workers are the spiritual shepherds and teachers, who labour quietly and humbly, carefully building the future of the young people whom God guides into their care.
The beeswax represents pure Faith and prayer, illuminating the darkness of ignorance.
The honey represents the fruits of the knowledge of God, love, and self-sacrificing service offered to the local community.
The Orthodox University “Saint Athanasios the Athonite” is a beehive that demonstrates how, even in the most afflicted regions, collective effort, supported by the Grace of God, can bring sweetness to human souls and transform the world.
A mobilisation of love
To keep this beehive alive and enable it to continue offering the honey of knowledge and Truth, a great mobilisation of love is needed!
Behind every student pursuing the blessings of education, behind the classrooms and the lecture hall that operate in an exemplary manner, there is an invisible chain of love and generosity.
The supporters of the work
The Orthodox University of the Congo operates with the blessings and support of His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II.
The Church of Saint Athanasios the Athonite, standing prominently at the centre of the Faculty, is a generous offering from the Holy Monastery of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.
We also gratefully acknowledge the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi for its invaluable assistance in supporting the work of the Faculty.
Numerous holy monasteries and missionary associations provide ongoing spiritual and material support, as do several Holy Metropolises in Greece and abroad, including, in previous years, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Canada.
Through their unceasing prayers, donations, and the love of the Fathers and our fellow Christians, they demonstrate that Orthodoxy knows no borders and that love in Christ transcends geographical boundaries.
The Embassy of Greece and the Hellenic Community
The Embassy of Greece and the Hellenic Community, through its President, Mr Dounis, and his wife, serve as a protective shield and a warm embrace from our homeland.
Through their moral and material assistance, they proudly uphold the banner of solidarity and Hellenic culture, connecting Greece with the Congo while respecting the culture and traditions of the local people.
The bridge of love established by the OCMC (Orthodox Christian Mission Center) also helps meet some of the many needs of this mission.
Volunteers, donors and benefactors
Volunteer university professors and educators generously offer their time, knowledge, and devotion.
They travel, teach, and guide the young people of the Congo, providing them with the most valuable resources for their future.
Anonymous donors and benefactors, hardworking people who contribute either from their limited means or from their abundance, become participants in a true miracle.
Thanks to this fruitful cooperation, the University’s beehive does not stand alone amid the vast sea of difficulties facing Africa.
It is surrounded by the care and affection of a large family, demonstrating in practice that when knowledge, Faith, and selfless generosity come together, hope can blossom like a flower in the desert!
Gratitude
We express our profound gratitude to all these pillars of our spiritual beehive!
I venture to borrow an expression from the Apostle Paul, who wrote with gratitude about those who struggled alongside him for the spread of the Gospel of Christ, calling them his “fellow workers in Christ”!
May Divine Grace and God’s blessing be with all our fellow workers in Christ!
The Rector
† Theodosios, Metropolitan of Kinshasa