On Sunday, May 7, 2023, a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy was performed at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria by Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa, co-officiated by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Metropolitans Georgios of Guinea, representative of Metropolitan Narcissus of Pelusium, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria in Athens and Germanos of Tamiathus, Head of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified of Alexandria.
Before the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Pope, and Patriarch of Alexandria said to the Archbishop of America: “Both America and Africa are two continents, whose names begin with the first letter of the alphabet, A.
So these places are starting points for new steps, new visions, new hopes, and great prospects. After all, our Lord emphasized that He is our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and destination. From the City of Alexander and the Apostle Mark, therefore, will always begin the beginning of civilization, but also of the enlightenment of the proud peoples of Africa…
We thank you, Your Eminence, because, in this not immovable, but always beautiful and blessed sea of sacrificial ministry and evangelization of the world of the tribes, you come as our spiritual fellow traveler, along with the Christ-filled Archons of the local Church in America, under the wings of the Ecumenical Throne.”
The Patriarch offered to the Archbishop of America the hierarchical egolpion of the late first Shepherd of America Alexander.
In his reply, Archbishop Elpidophoros characterized the Primate of the Alexandrian Church as the pacifist father and reformer of the African land, who through his struggle, as well as the struggle of sympathy of the Hierarchy of the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria, strives to spiritually regenerate the children of the continent of the future through the Holy Gospel, but also to improve their lives through the establishment of health, education and generally works of progress and culture. The Patriarch of Alexandria offered to the Archbishop of America a hierarchical egolpion.
A festive reception followed at the atrium of the Patriarchal Palace, as well as an official lunch at the premises of the Greek Community of Alexandria, during which the Archbishop of America addressed its president, Andreas Vafiadis, offered a silver tray with the emblem of the Community of Alexandria.
The above Liturgical and festive events were attended by the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Athanasios Kotsionis, Presidents of historical Greek Organizations, Associations in Nilochora, Archons of the Holy Archdiocese of America, Eritrea Katerini Sofianou, Lady of the Alexandrian Church, the Clergy of the Holy Archdiocese of Alexandria and many Christians from Egypt, Greece, and America.
Photos: Grigoris Haliakopoulos, Alexandria
