Orthodox priest urges leaders to serve with integrity and respect people’s rights

6 April 2026, 10:53 am

By Edwin Okurmu Kisa

All leaders in the country are encouraged to rely on God so that He may guide them to lead people well, without violating their rights, and so that they may also find joy in their leadership.

Father Dimitrios Ssendijja, who heads St. Anthony Orthodox Church in Wamala, located in Nansana Municipality, while speaking with our reporter, urged leaders not to take the law into their own hands or misuse the authority they have. Instead, they should use their power to serve and lead God’s people well, especially by offering service so that they may receive a reward from God.

He further called on leaders to guide people with love, honesty, and respect, emphasizing that a leader must give dignity to those they lead because leadership is given by God according to His will.

Father Dimitrios also condemned wrong actions that are increasingly praised in society today. He noted that individuals who engage in such acts are often described as “clever,” which he warned is a dangerous sign. He urged people to instead focus on actions that develop the nation and bring glory to God.

In the same message, he encouraged young people to use social media responsibly and positively, rather than engaging in inappropriate behavior simply for fame.

He also spoke about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, explaining the difference in how it is observed in the Orthodox Church compared to other Christian denominations. He noted that Catholics and other Western Christians use the Gregorian calendar, while the Orthodox Church follows the older Julian calendar. As a result, Orthodox Easter (Pascha) is often celebrated later than Western Easter.

He further explained that the Orthodox Church strictly follows the decision of the Council of Nicaea of 325 A.D., which requires that Easter be celebrated after the Jewish Passover. This requirement can delay the date compared to Western churches, which do not strictly follow this rule. While the dates sometimes coincide, differences in calendar systems and calculations often result in Orthodox Easter being observed one or more weeks later.

Father Dimitrios emphasized that the Orthodox Church maintains these traditions in order to preserve the faith as practiced by the early Church. He noted that changing the method of calculating Easter would mean abandoning the rules established by the early Church councils, which Orthodox theology regards as remaining faithful to the original Christian tradition.

He added that in 2026, the Orthodox Church will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Sunday, April 12.