Founding director
Fr Dr Evangelos Thiani
A third-generation Orthodox Christian, priest and theologian from Kenya.
Fr Dr Evangelos Thiani is a third-generation Orthodox Christian, priest and theologian from Kenya. His grandparents, Francis and Esther, hailing from the village of Thogoto in Central Kenya, were among the first Christian families to form the Orthodox Church in Kenya.
Fr Thiani believes poor families and Orthodox churches in Africa can be transformed through education opportunities. Fr Thiani's family were part of the Mau Mau liberation movement in Kenya in the early 1900s, and because they were also of the Orthodox faith, they were denied access to the British missionary schools that offered the best education in Kenya at the time. Those who studied in Orthodox schools, like Fr Thiani's parents, did not secure good employment and therefore ended up working as casual labourers. That meant not educating their children well and, equally, not contributing much to transforming their churches and society, even when they really wanted to. Such stories often kept the Orthodox Christians at the lowest in society, making it unattractive to be Orthodox.
Growing up Orthodox, the young Evangelos entered the altar at age 9. At age 10, he found himself the only faith leader present in his parish of over 300 faithful and had to lead the Reader's service and even deliver his maiden sermon at his home parish of Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, Thogoto, in Central Kenya. Since then, he has wanted to be in church leadership, but as he grew, he feared joining the Orthodox priesthood, seeing how clergy families lived undignified lives, with their wives often complaining about lack, and the priest kids often sent home due to unpaid school fees. Most Orthodox priests were often dirty and lacked dignified clothing. Who wants to be part of such a church or priesthood? Many often ask. While the young Evangelos remained in the same church and joined this dreaded priesthood, such remains the case in many places in Africa even today.
“Only education and God can get Africa's poor, especially the minority Orthodox faithful, out of such painful spaces.”
Fr Dr Evangelos Thiani — Founding Director
Father Thiani began his theological studies at Makarios III Orthodox Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya, before pursuing further theological formation in Australia (SAGOTC), the USA (HCHC, ITS), and Europe (UEF). He further studied psychological counselling, teacher education, and development studies in Kenya (Maranatha, Daystar University, and the University of Nairobi).
Fr Dr Evangelos Thiani believes that education and faith can transform the lives of the poor and especially the neglected Orthodox Christians of Africa, granting them hope not just for the Kingdom of God to come but also for the kingdom of God here and now. Through AOA, such will be granted to many in Africa.
