Patriarch Theodore prayed this afternoon at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Alexandria behind closed doors. On the occasion of the celebration of the Greek Revolution and the Feast of the Annunciation, the Patriarch asked the Virgin Mary to protect the humankind from the coronavirus pandemic.
The primate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria went alone to the church, on the eve of the Great Feast of the Annunciation and the celebration of the Greek Revolution, two great feasts for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, where there were only three officials from the patriarchal entourage; the Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, Metropolitan Narkissos of Naucratis, the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Nikodimos Totkas, and Geron Skevofylax, Archimandrite Pavlos Iosifidis.
Following the Vespers Service, Patriarch Theodore pointed out, “After the difficult, uphill path towards Golgotha, the Resurrection will come, not only of the bodies, but especially of the consciousness saying that we are a handful of dirt.”
Specifically, the Patriarch of Alexandria, addressing the icon of the Virgin Mary, said,
“Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, You know the devotion of our heart and the sighs of our soul. That is why we beg You today, here in the Greek Church of the Annunciation, to beg for the mercy of Your love.
That is why we, as our Invincible Champion of our Nation, beg You to intercede and release the humankind from the pandemic and in repentance to see our recovery.
After the difficult, uphill path towards Golgotha, the Resurrection will come, not only of the bodies, but mainly of the consciousness saying that we are a handful of dirt as we have God within us.”
Source: ANA-MPA