On June 27, Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Chapel of St. Nektarios of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified in Alexandria, on the feast of Saint Cyril Lucaris, Patriarch of Alexandria and then Patriarch of Constantinople.
Before the dismissal of the liturgy, the Patriarch about the saint whose memory was celebrated. Specifically, he stressed that “today we honor our Patriarch, the Ethnomartyr Saint Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria and then Patriarch of Constantinople, the so misunderstood and so painful patriarch who defended Orthodoxy in many regions; the Danube countries, Mount Athos, Russia, and Pontus.
Saint Cyril was a great spiritual figure of the 17th century, who continues to give our Church splendor with his great work. He was deemed worthy by God to confess his faith with his martyrdom on June 27, 1620, at the behest of Sultan Murad IV. It is worth mentioning that it is a special blessing for the Patriarchate of Alexandria to keep his hierarchical vestments in the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified.
In his speech, Patriarch Theodore expressed gratitude to the elders of the Metropolitan of Pergamon, Geron Ioannis, and Metropolitan Emmanuel of France as well as to all the ancient patriarchates, which proclaimed the Orthodoxy of St. Cyril.