—Father Nicolas, why did you decide to choose the path of the priesthood?
—This happened in my youth, when I spent time with clergy and bishops. That’s how my vocation was born, and I wanted to become a priest.
—Are you a monk or a married priest?
—I’m a married priest.
—And how did your family react to your decision to become a priest and receive training in Russia?
—It was not easy, because initially we belonged to the Roman Catholic church. Being a Christian, I was a man whose words were heeded. I preached, and many people trusted me. My children acquired faith through me, so this separation was very tough. I think that the problems will not disappear after my return…
—But at the same time, your family is really waiting for you at home, right?
—Indeed, my family is waiting for me, and with great joy.
—What can you say about the spiritual life in Côte d’Ivoire? Are there enough churches there? How many believers and parishioners do you have?
—I had to come to Russia to see this in its true light. Frankly speaking, Christians in my homeland are pretty lukewarm. They come on Sundays, they’re euphoric. But it is not Christianity! I had to come to Russia to understand this.
We have only three parishes. We started working in this area three years ago. Before that, we had belonged to the Greek Church. We have been moving forward confidently for three years now, and taking into account the training we have received, we feel changes in our faith since our arrival in Russia.
—What are the major challenges for Christians and Christian life in Côte d’Ivoire?
—First and foremost, local Christians think little about their salvation. They believe that they are Roman Catholics and that is enough for Heaven. That’s the trouble. That is why from the moment of my ordination I wish everyone salvation—this is my motto! I want to preach the Gospel of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church—the gospel that speaks of our salvation!
—What is the liturgical language in your country?
—French.
—Is it your mother tongue?
—No. We were colonized by France, and even our children can’t speak another (their native) language because everyone speaks French.
—Is spiritual literature being translated into French?
—Yes, when I was a Roman Catholic, I obtained a theological education at the Catholic University of West Africa where I studied liturgics. In the Roman Catholic church, I loved to read and sing in church…
—But there is no liturgical literature in your country’s native language?
—You’re right. There are no services in my native language in the Roman Catholic church.
—What prompted you to come to Russia?
—I must say that I am Orthodox under the auspices of Greece. And I began to realize that the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is not the same as the Roman Church. I began to study this matter and discovered that the Eastern Church is the only Catholic and Apostolic Church that has preserved Church traditions that the Roman Catholic Church has not preserved, and that the Roman Catholic Church has never taught that there is the Eastern Church that has existed for thousands of years.
—Why did you go to the Sretensky Theological Academy?
—I didn’t want to be an ignorant Christian. On the contrary, I wanted to be a knowledgeable Christian who knows the true God and discovers the true God. A Christian who believes in God and knows how to pray to God for his salvation! This is very important, and I learned it in the Russian Orthodox Church.
—What are you studying as part of your training?
—We have studied dogmatics. This is the basis of the knowledge of the true God. How the Church was developed during the first seven centuries, and how various dogmas made their way. And by following these dogmas, you can discover the True God, adore Him and honor Him in order to receive salvation from Him. It is vital.
—What do you find the most unusual and special about Church life in Russia?
—The first thing I noticed during my stay in Russia was the zeal, praise, and reverence of Christians. This “Lord!” rises up to Heaven. It’s about adoring the Lord. I would say that over my time in Russia, I rarely hear prayer requests, “Lord, give me this! Lord, give me that!” It is different from the Roman Church, where there are only prayer requests. There is no reverence, no adoration, no praise as such there. It’s only cacophony. The Roman church gave me too much noise, whereas I sought for a Church where there was no noise. God is in stillness. And when I found all this in Russia, a different vision of the Christian faith opened up to me. At first, I did not understand the meaning of all the words, but once during prayer the Lord said to me: “Hear this praise. I am adored, revered, and praised. Just listen to the praise! Praise ascends to Me!” and I have found a nation that loves God and honors God because He is merciful, because He is omnipresent, because He is love. He wants us to know this through praising Him. And that’s exactly what I and other Christians do every morning, praising God, thanking God, and asking His forgiveness. There are prayers at noon, and there are evening prayers before going to bed. In the everyday life that I led, I didn’t have time for such spiritual pursuits, but not here. I thought that it was only here, but when we went to Father Vasily, it turned out that it was even stricter there: In the morning we went to pray, then we celebrated the Eucharist, next a fasting meal, a little rest and work. In the evenings we truly read prayers and praised God until eight before going to bed. Thus, the life of Christians here is measured by prayers.
—Was it hard for you to adapt to life in Moscow? Have you faced the problem of the language barrier?
—I must say that at first it was really complicated. Then gradually we began to adapt. I said, “The language is different. I pray to God, but I don’t grasp what is being said. What should I do?” And I got the answer: “I am being praised. Listen only to praises.” I assure you that during Lent I wept while praying. The people were crying out to God, asking for His help—they got together to give praises to God. And it swiftly lifted my spirits. And so, I participated in the morning and evening prayers, because in them we turn to God. And being able to listen, I participated, and I felt good.
—Are there any differences in our mentalities and cultures?
—Yes. I should note that the Orthodox faith was in place of culture for the majority of Orthodox Christians we met. The Orthodox faith has become the center of the life of Russian Orthodox Christians. They are laconic, humble, honest, and they love people. They are sincere. Some time after our ordination we even feared that Orthodox Christians would not take our blessing because we are black, but they approached everyone who could bless them! Their belief is that we are priests, and this is important.
—What are the missionary prospects and what projects are being carried out in the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa?
—We are considering the following project: to pave our way in the footsteps of the Russians. We will implement at home what we have seen, heard, and experienced here. A people without faith, a people that has not met or seen God in its life, a people doomed to live in paganism is a people doomed to a life of unhappiness. Africa is thirty years behind the Russians. Formerly, the Russians, too, lived in paganism. Many did not know God and did not live a Christian life. But the core has remained—monks, believers, and the persecuted. There were martyrs in Russia! And the fact that these martyrs, all those who suffered for the sake of preserving the Orthodox faith, are venerated and honored, is Russia’s main strength. And we would like to have that too.
—How long will your training last? What are your plans for spiritual activities?
—We have spent three months here. And it should be said that it was an education in the Russian spirit: difficult, austere and without any rest. We also had practical training. This consolidated our faith and our practice of celebrating the Liturgy. And now we can gradually, step by step, put it into practice for ourselves. It took Russia thirty years of hard work to achieve this, so we have everything ahead of us—we believe in it. It’s just a matter of time.
—Thank you very much, Father Nicolas!
—Thank you very much! God bless Russia! May the Lord bless Russian Orthodoxy! Amen.
Source
Leave a Reply