On March 25, 2021, the beautiful church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria, completes a glorious history of 165 years.
The construction of the Temple was decided and implemented by the Greek Community of Alexandria on the initiative mainly of its first President and then Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Michael Tositsas and John IV Anastasis and Stefanos Zizinias.
Thus, with a relevant document of January 23, 1844, the late Patriarch of Alexandria, Hierotheos I, permitted to build a Temple. At the same time, the Patriarch in this document urged the faithful to contribute as much as possible.
On November 16, 1847, the foundation stone was laid on a plot of land donated to the Greek Community of Alexandria by Michael Tositsas. Patriarch Hierotheos II presided over the service.
The construction of the temple took nine years and the expenses were covered by fundraisers.
The Patriarch of Alexandria paid the required amount for the icons of the church calendar (ordered in Russia) and contributed to the donation of the ten Despotic icons of the iconostasis of the Temple.
The imposing inauguration of the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos of the Greek Community of Alexandria took place on March 25, 1856.
The Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos is the largest Greek Orthodox church in Alexandria which still operates today.
Its current form is the result of repairs and renovations that took place at four different times until today (1892, 1926, 1930, 2002-2004).
The last renovation was done with the support of the Public Benefit Foundation “Alexandros S. Onassis” from 2002 until 2004 and the opening of the church took place on March 25, 2006, by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria. The President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, attended the service as well.
The Hellenic Community of Alexandria, participating in the celebrations for the 200 years since the proclamation of the Greek Revolution of 1821, will illuminate the church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in the colors of the Greek Flag.
Source: ekalexandria.org
