A meeting with Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa was held in Cairo by the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports of Greece, Sofia Zacharaki, accompanied by the Secretary General for Religious Affairs, Giorgos Kalantzis, and the Ambassador of Greece to Egypt, Nikolaos Papageorgiou.
During her visit, the Minister venerated the Holy Church of Saint George in Old Cairo, the most important Greek Orthodox pilgrimage site in Egypt and one of the most historic centers of Orthodoxy in Africa and the Middle East.
The Patriarchal Church of Saint George, also known as the “Rotunda of the East,” belongs to the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint George under the Patriarchate of Alexandria. It is built on the circular Roman tower of the Babylon Fortress, at the site where, according to tradition, Saint George was imprisoned and martyred.
During the meeting, Minister Sofia Zacharaki and Patriarch Theodore discussed the multifaceted missionary, educational, and social work of the Patriarchate of Alexandria throughout the African continent, as well as the major challenges currently facing the historic Patriarchates.
Particular emphasis was placed on the need to support Orthodox communities in Africa to keep alive the parishes, schools, and social welfare structures of the Patriarchate across dozens of countries.
The Minister informed the Patriarch about her legislative initiative to establish an institutional framework for the clergy of the Greek diaspora, as part of the substantial strengthening of the ancient Patriarchates and the Greek Orthodox Sacred Royal Autonomous Monastery of Saint Catherine of the Holy and God-trodden Mount Sinai.
Sofia Zacharaki stated: “We met with His All-Holiness Patriarch Theodoros and discussed a very important initiative of the Greek government, the institutionalization of clergy of the diaspora. An institution designed to support the ancient Patriarchates as well as the Monastery of Sinai. This initiative accompanies other important interventions supporting the historic Patriarchates, aiming to strengthen stability, security, and the continuity of the Orthodox presence in regions with great difficulties but also immense spiritual significance. We feel deep honor and gratitude for the missionary work carried out by the Patriarch and the Patriarchate of Alexandria throughout the African continent. A work of faith, humanity, education, and service, often carried out under extremely difficult conditions. The Greek State has a duty to stand by this effort, directly and substantially.”
On his part, Patriarch Theodore II warmly thanked the Minister, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Secretary General for Religious Affairs Giorgos Kalantzis for the ongoing interest and support of the Greek government toward the ancient Patriarchates and the work of Orthodoxy in Africa.
As part of her visit to Egypt, the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki, visited the Greek Schools of Cairo, the kindergarten and primary school of the Achillopouleios School, and spoke with the young pupils. At the same time, later students of the Gymnasium and Lyceum of the Ambetios School warmly welcomed her and spoke to her about their life and daily routine.
During her visit, she was also guided through the Cultural Center and the Center for the Greek Language in Cairo, where Greek educators teach, and was informed about the activities developed for the promotion of the Greek language and culture.
The Minister also met with seconded teachers and the Education Coordinator, listened to their proposals and requests, and discussed the needs and prospects of Greek-language education in Egypt, with particular emphasis on further strengthening technological equipment and digital capabilities of the school units.
The teachers thanked the Minister for the support provided in recent years to Greek education abroad, noting in particular that for the first time, the Center for the Greek Language is operating without any staffing gaps.
The Minister stressed that this year’s teacher secondment process was completed earlier than in any previous year, so that schools abroad can begin their operation with greater stability and better planning.
At the same time, she referred to the systematic strengthening of Greek schools abroad with thousands of books and educational materials, as well as to the legislative regulation extending the allowance for teachers even into the fifth year of secondment—a measure which, as she noted, genuinely recognizes their important contribution.
Sofia Zacharaki also highlighted the new challenges facing schools today internationally, stressing that education policy cannot be limited solely to technological changes and digital skills.
As she stated: “The great challenge of our time is to strengthen not only children’s knowledge, but also their psychological resilience, their self-confidence, their sense of safety, and the quality of their relationships within the school.”
The Minister also emphasized the importance of continuous training for teachers abroad, both during their initial preparation and throughout their educational career, with emphasis on managing modern issues such as school bullying, children’s mental health, and the strengthening of a positive and inclusive school environment.
A particularly moving moment of the visit was when the Minister heard the students sing “The Children Paint on the Wall,” noting that “Greek-language education abroad keeps alive not only the language, but also memory, identity, and the children’s connection with Greece.”
Sofia Zacharaki stated: “Every Greek school abroad is a piece of Greece beyond our borders. And every teacher serving here is a person who keeps alive the language, the culture, and the children’s connection with the homeland. Today, the school is not called only to teach. It is called to support. To encourage. To help children endure, to cooperate, and to believe more in themselves. That is why we invest not only in digital tools and new technologies, but also in our teachers themselves—in training, in support, and in their ability to respond to the major challenges of our time. Because Greece is not geographically limited. It exists everywhere some people continue to speak, learn, and create in Greek.”
