The new year dawned in Cairo with the resounding chimes of our Orthodox Churches, summoning the faithful to partake in the inaugural Divine Liturgy of 2024, a tribute to the memory of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea.
At the Holy Community Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, the Grand Ecclesiarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, Archimandrite Stephanos, presided over the first Divine Liturgy of the year alongside Archimandrite Joachim, accompanied by the melodious chants of Alexandros Rigakis, Protopsaltes of the Greek Community of Cairo.
The Divine Liturgy drew esteemed attendees, including the Greek Ambassador to Egypt, Nikolaos Papageorgiou, and Mrs. Despina Tzova from the Embassy’s Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs, along with devout members of the community. Notably, Egyptians residing in Greece visited Cairo for a brief holiday and participated in the service.
In his sermon, Fr. Stephanos spoke of the remarkable and multifaceted life of Saint Basil the Great, highlighting his theological eminence, philanthropy, asceticism, and scholarly contributions. The presence of a sacred relic—a fragment from Saint Basil’s skull, a treasure safeguarded for centuries in the Patriarchal Sacristy in Hamzawi—held a central place in the Temple.
Fr. Stephanos encouraged humility in worship, entreating the Great Hierarch of our Church, St. Basil, to intercede for spiritual advancement among the faithful. Conveying the wishes and love of Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa, as well as Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis, he concluded his address.
The customary cutting of the Vasilopita followed the Divine Liturgy across Cairo’s temples. During this ritual, Greek Ambassador Nikolaos Papageorgiou extended New Year’s greetings, wishing everyone health, peace, and creativity. He also conveyed the greetings of political and state leadership to the attendees.
Article translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas