In an atmosphere of emotion, with Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria emphasizing that “the hearts of Greeks know how to protect the Nation handed down to us by our fathers”, the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Athanasios Kotsionis reading the message of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Andreas Katsaniotis to the Greeks abroad and the Alexandrian community led by the Vice President of the Ancient Greek Community Andreas Vafiadis giving the dynamism of his presence, the Alexandrian community celebrated and honored the anniversary of October 28.
In the imposing community church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, the students of the historical Greek schools of Tositsaio Primary School and the Averofio Gymnasium – Lyceum, raised the Greek flag, chanting together with the national anthems of Greece and Egypt and bowing when hearing the “O Champion Leader”.
“If our country modestly and emotionally celebrates with Greeks everywhere the 200 years of Greek Rebirth, Alexandria and Egypt “Alexandria and Egypt take extreme pride in this feast of October 28”, stressed the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Africa, in the presence of the Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, Metropolitan Narcissus of Naucratis and the holy clergy, with the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the missionary Patriarchate Fr, Nicodemus Totkas serving the festive Divine Liturgy for the Holy Protection of the Theotokos.
“Greece shows us the entire world the great miracle of Thermopylae and Salamis. And we here have El Alamein to show, we have to show the soil in Marsa Matrouh and we declare that our Greece will never die. It will not be overshadowed by any threat. “Because her brave lads, because the hearts of the Greeks know how to protect the Nation that our fathers handed down to us”, stressed the Alexandrian Primate during the Doxology service, expressing at the same time his emotion that, in the mission, “we know the greatness of Orthodoxy but also of all those who participate in Greek education: thousands of children who sing our national anthem and raise next to their flags the Greek flag. Greek greatness will never be eclipsed. It is our main feature “, pointed out the Primate of the Ancient Patriarchate.
Addressing the children of Alexandria, Patriarch Theodore asked them “as a spiritual father, to raise the Greek flag in these pure, strong hands of yours, the hands of the student youth. And remember that the heart of the Greek government used to beat here at some point during the Second World War. And like a laurel wreath, offer the promise to our fathers that: My Greece, my Cyprus, you will always be the sweet and beautiful homelands and beside you will be the country that loves us, the country that supports us will celebrate and rejoice, the country that will never abandon us, and this is Egypt. That is why, my children, be proud to live in this beautiful and blessed land of the Nile. Long live Greece, long live Egypt. Long live the friendship of the peoples of Greece, Cyprus, Egypt! “, concluded Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria.
This was followed by the laying of wreaths at the monuments of the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria by the Consul General Kotsionis and the Vice President of the Community Vafiadis, to the sounds of the scout drums, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Naval Club of Alexandria and the Association of Greek Scientists “Ptolemy I” Lilika Thlivitou, as well as the Directors of Tositsaios Konstantinos Rigas and the Averofio Lina Kiropoiou, and the Superintendent of Administration of the Greek Scouts of Alexandria Aris Markozanis, but also many people.
The memorial ceremonies in Greek Alexandria ended with the Trisagion that was chanted during the laying of wreaths at the Hero of the Fallen Icarus at the 2nd Greek Cemetery of the Hellenic Community of Alexandria.
