On January 1, 2025, the new year was welcomed with a Divine Liturgy and a Doxology at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Alexandria. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Panteleimon of Ptolemais, the Hierarchical Head of the Church, and officiated by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II, accompanied by Metropolitans Narcissus of Pelusium and Germanos of Tamiatheus.
Following the Liturgy, a Doxology was held to mark the beginning of the new year, attended by notable guests including the Consul General of Greece, Ioannis Pyrgakis, the President of the Greek Community of Alexandria, Andreas Vafeiadis, and other members of the community.
In his address, Patriarch Theodore II expressed heartfelt wishes for love, peace, and health in the coming year. He also officially announced that 2025 would be dedicated to the memory of Saint Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria and a renowned theologian of the First Ecumenical Synod.
The celebrations continued with the traditional cutting of the Vasilopita in the Cathedral. Patriarch Theodore extended his blessings to all present and expressed gratitude to Metropolitan Panteleimon for his warm hospitality.
The day concluded with a visit by Patriarch Theodore II to the “MANNA” Nursing Home of the Greek Community of Alexandria, where he spent time with the residents and shared a meal. He was accompanied by Metropolitan Narcissus of Pelusium, the Consul General of Greece, and the President of the Greek Community, further underscoring the close ties between the Church and the Greek diaspora in Alexandria.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
