Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa expressed his gratitude to the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, but also to the whole of Greece for the support to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, in the person of the Secretary-General of Hellenes Abroad and Public Diplomacy, Ioannis Chrysoulakis, who was present at the feast of the Church of the Archangels Gabriel & Michael in Ibrahimia.
“Here was the heart of Hellenism. Like tonight, in the old days, over thirty thousand people came early to celebrate the great event”, stressed Patriarch Theodore.
“I am moved that when I meet the Egyptians they tell me with tears in their eyes that we were born in Ibrahimia and that we were baptized in the Temple of the Archangels,” said Patriarch Theodore, adding: “Everything is historical here: the manuals, the stalls, the images, everything speaks of a story that is present today and tomorrow”.
Speaking about the hospitable country of Egypt, Patriarch Theodore underlined: “I want you to be calm that we live here in the peaceful country of Egypt, where they love us and we love them. They support us and we will support them because we are traveling together in the peaceful world of the Mediterranean Sea. In this loneliness of the pandemic, there are friends, there is our Greece, there is our homeland, there are our schools, there is above all the humanity and the valor of the Greek soul. We have a beautiful, blessed homeland.”
Finally, addressing the Secretary-General of Hellenes Abroad, he said: “The wish of your uncle, Gennadios Chrysoulakis, who honored the Patriarchate and our Church, to accompany you, Secretary-General of Hellenes Abroad and Public Diplomacy.”
The Solemn Vespers was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Athanasios Kotsionis, the Vice President of the Hellenic Community of Alexandria, Andreas Vafiadis, the Secretary-General of the parish organization, Dimitris Kavouras, and other officials.
Source: ANA-MPA
