LAST UPDATE: 20:18
The Greek Parish in Cairo solemnly celebrated the name day of Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa.
As reported by ekkairo.org, the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy was performed in the morning in the Church of Saint George, which was attended by the parishioners of Cairo, who expressed their wishes to the Head of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The President of the Greek Community of Cairo, Christos Kavalis, also attended the service.
Moreover, the students from the Orthodox Academy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria sang Greek songs to Patriarch Theodore. As he noted in his homily, the Patriarch of Alexandria celebrated his name day in Cairo for the first time, as in previous years he used to travel to the countries of Africa, where he was by the side of the humble children and the people who were suffering. He also remembered that in the years he spent in Cameroon and Zimbabwe he used to celebrate his name day alone without the consolation of no one.
“Today in these years of the pandemic, when I look around and I see that I am not alone; I have you, my children and my brothers,” he said. The Patriarch used the sweetest words when he was speaking about the Ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus who were also there to wish them all the best.
Patriarch Theodore also thanked the President of the Greek Community of Cairo, Christos Kavalis, whom, as he said, has known for a long time and whose work within the Patriarchate of Alexandria appreciated. “You have always been with us, I bless you. I wish the Greek-speaking and Arabic-speaking communities to always be blessed by the Grace of God,” he added.
Patriarch Theodore also thanked the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, and wished him all the best. “The door to Africa and Egypt is always open and blessed,” he said.
The Ambassador of Greece to Cairo, Nikolaos Garilidis, the Consul General, Maria Zisi, the Attaché of the Navy, Captain George Hatzis, the Ambassador of Cyprus, and the Deputy Cypriot Ambassador, Dimitris Christofidis were also present and wished the Patriarch on his name day.
The President of the Greek Community of Cairo, Christos Kavalis, and the General Secretary, Chrysanthi Skoufaridou, offered on behalf of the Community gifts to Patriarch Theodore. In addition, the Holy Monastery of Saint George surprised the Patriarch with a wonderful gift: a cake with the icon of St. Theodore of Tyrone on top of it. It is noteworthy that the President of the Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking community of Egypt, Claude Nakas, also attended the Divine Liturgy.
