With deep reverence and ecclesiastical splendor, a festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated on February 19, 2026, at the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, marking the first official commemoration of our Holy Father Sylvester, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria. Saint Sylvester was inscribed among the Saints of the Orthodox Church last October by the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and this year’s celebration marked the first formal liturgical observance of his memory.
The Divine Liturgy was presided over by Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II. Concelebrating in prayer were Metropolitan Germanos of Tamiathis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery, and Bishop Damaskinos of Mareotis, Patriarchal Exarch of Alexandria. Clergy of the Patriarchal Court were present, along with teachers and students of the Patriarchal School of Saint Athanasios from various countries of Africa, adding a distinctly pan-African dimension to the historic celebration.
In his homily, Patriarch Theodore II offered an in-depth reflection on the life and work of Saint Sylvester, highlighting in particular his decisive contribution to the preservation of the Patriarchate’s archives and manuscripts. He emphasized that the saint’s recent canonization was not the creation of a new reality, but the Church’s formal confirmation of a holiness already long recognized in the conscience of the faithful.
The Patriarch recalled that Saint Sylvester shepherded the Throne of Saint Mark during difficult times (1569–1590), proving himself a steadfast pillar of Orthodoxy and a vigilant guardian of the historical and spiritual heritage of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He further stressed the saint’s Cretan origin and ascetical formation, noting that through Saint Sylvester yet another strong spiritual bond is revealed between Crete and the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Formed spiritually at the historic Monastery of Panagia Angarathos in Crete, of which Saint Sylvester had been abbot, he was later called to shepherd the Apostolic Throne of Saint Mark. Patriarch Theodore also noted with emotion that Angarathos is his own monastery of repentance, deepening the personal and spiritual connection.
The Patriarch also referred to the place of Saint Sylvester’s repose, noting that the saint fell asleep in the Lord in Lindos, Rhodes, at the Sinai metochion of the Monastery of Saint Nicholas. This, he said, is not a mere historical detail, but another living link between the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai, revealing the wider ecclesiastical and spiritual unity that permeated the saint’s life and ministry.
Among the most treasured relics preserved in the Patriarchate’s Treasury, Patriarch Theodore highlighted the hierarchal sakkos of Saint Sylvester, a sacred vestment that stands as a living testimony to his pastoral ministry and continues to inspire the veneration of pilgrims.
The Patriarch further noted that following the joyful proclamation of Saint Sylvester’s canonization, his liturgical Service and Supplicatory Canon were published, composed by Metropolitan Cyril of Rhodes and approved by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. This ensured the saint’s commemoration is fully established within the living liturgical tradition of the Church. He also recalled that at the end of 2024 the first official icon of Saint Sylvester was painted by iconographer Sophia Papazoglou, offering the first recognized iconographic representation of the newly glorified saint. Additionally, a portrait of Saint Sylvester by the Egyptian painter Sefen Gad has been displayed in the Throne Hall in Alexandria for the past two years.
The Patriarch also reminded the faithful that during the inauguration of the Library of the Holy Monastery of Saint George in Old Cairo on April 20, 2022, the library was dedicated to the memory of Patriarch Sylvester, underscoring the enduring appreciation of his contribution to the spiritual and intellectual heritage of the Church.
Concluding his address, Patriarch Theodore II expressed heartfelt gratitude to Elder Archbishop Makarios of Kenya, who presented the proposal for Saint Sylvester’s canonization to the Holy Synod. He noted that the Archbishop’s historical knowledge and contribution to recent canonizations constitute a precious treasure for the Throne of Saint Mark.
