Orthodox Monasteries of Southern and Western Africa
Submitted by Athos on March 29, 2026 - 9:30am
Orthodox Monasteries of Southern and Western Africa
A reference page for Athos Forum, arranged by country and region, with statistics, principal monasteries of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon.
Southern and Western Africa
Orthodox monasticism in Southern and Western Africa is limited but growing. Most monasteries and convents were founded during the twentieth century by Greek, Russian, Serbian, Romanian, and Alexandrian Orthodox missions. South Africa possesses the largest and most established Orthodox monastic communities in the region, while Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon contain smaller monasteries and convents.
30+
Orthodox monasteries and convents in Southern and Western Africa
Orthodox monasteries and convents in Southern and Western Africa
50%
of the region’s monasteries located in South Africa
of the region’s monasteries located in South Africa
12+
active women’s monasteries and convents
active women’s monasteries and convents
100+
years of Orthodox monastic history in Southern Africa
years of Orthodox monastic history in Southern Africa
The principal concentration of Orthodox monasteries lies in South Africa, especially in Gauteng, the Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.
This page follows the same structure established for the other Orthodox countries and regions in this series.
Principal Monasteries of Southern and Western Africa
- Monastery of Saint Nicholas – South Africa. Principal Orthodox monastery of Southern Africa.
- Convent of Saint Nektarios – South Africa. Principal Orthodox women’s monastery of Southern Africa.
- Monastery of Saint John the Baptist – Zimbabwe. Principal Orthodox monastery of Zimbabwe.
- Monastic Community of Saint Anthony – Zambia. Orthodox monastery of Zambia.
- Monastic House of Saint Mark – Nigeria. Principal Orthodox monastic residence of West Africa.
South Africa
- Monastery of Saint Nicholas – South Africa. The principal Orthodox monastery of Southern Africa.
- Convent of Saint Nektarios – South Africa. Major Orthodox women’s monastery.
- Monastery of Saint John Chrysostom – South Africa. Orthodox monastic community associated with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
- Convent of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou – South Africa. Women’s Orthodox monastery.
- Monastic House of Saint Moses the Ethiopian – South Africa. Small Orthodox monastic residence.
Zimbabwe and Zambia
- Monastery of Saint John the Baptist – Zimbabwe. Principal Orthodox monastery in Zimbabwe.
- Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene – Zimbabwe. Principal women’s monastery in Zimbabwe.
- Monastic Community of Saint Anthony – Zambia. Orthodox monastery of Zambia.
- Convent of Saint Paraskeva – Zambia. Women’s Orthodox monastery.
- Monastic House of Saint George – Zambia. Small Orthodox monastic community.
Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon
- Monastic House of Saint Mark – Nigeria. Principal Orthodox monastic residence in West Africa.
- Convent of Saint Mary of Egypt – Nigeria. Women’s Orthodox monastery.
- Monastic Community of Saint Nicholas – Ghana. Small Orthodox monastery.
- Convent of Saint Catherine – Ghana. Women’s Orthodox monastery.
- Monastic House of Saint George – Cameroon. Principal Orthodox monastic residence in Cameroon.
Female Monasteries and Convents of Special Importance
- Convent of Saint Nektarios – South Africa. Principal Orthodox women’s monastery of Southern Africa.
- Convent of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou – South Africa. Major women’s Orthodox monastery.
- Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene – Zimbabwe. Principal women’s monastery of Zimbabwe.
- Convent of Saint Paraskeva – Zambia. Principal women’s monastery of Zambia.
- Convent of Saint Mary of Egypt – Nigeria. Principal women’s monastery of West Africa.
Observations
- South Africa possesses the largest and most developed Orthodox monastic communities in Southern and Western Africa.
- Most monasteries in the region are recent foundations of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
- Orthodox monasteries in Southern Africa are associated primarily with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
- West Africa possesses only a small number of Orthodox monastic houses and convents.
- Among the best-known communities are Saint Nicholas and Saint Nektarios in South Africa, together with the smaller foundations of Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
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