The Greek Community of Cairo celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas. Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa officiated the Great Vespers on December 5, 2020, and the Orthros and the Divine Liturgy that were performed the next day at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Cairo.
The primate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria gave his blessing to all the faithful and prayed to Saint Nicholas to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. He asked the Saint to be once again a supporter of those affected by the ordeal. Moreover, the Patriarch also spoke about the sufferings caused by the terrible disease in their lives. In this difficult situation for everyone, the Patriarch sent a message of the eternal and unquestionable presence of the Church close to the faithful whom it cares for, loves and supports.
“By 2020 we never expected these strange situations, what the humankind called a pandemic. And yet in this sorrow in this pandemic, our Church, our mother, has always been our consolation, our hope, our joy. In these difficulties and in our spiritual joy, the Church came tonight to show us that our Saint, Saint Nicholas, is celebrating.”
The Patriarch of Alexandria thanked Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis as well as all his clergy for the proper operation of the churches.
In addition to the Metropolitan of Memphis and Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, Nikodimos, the Patriarch was accompanied by Metropolitan Nikolaos of Ermoupolis, the Abbot of St. George Monastery in Old Cairo, Archimandrite Damaskinos Alazrai, the Megas Ecclesiarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Archimandrite Stefanos Soulamitis, and Father Ioakeim, Father Paisios.
The events for the feast of Saint Nicholas were attended by the Ambassador of Greece in Cairo, Nikolaos Garilidis, the Ambassador of Cyprus, Omiros Mavromatis, and the Defence Attaché of the Greek Embassy in Cairo, Captain Georgios Gezos.