The Holy Week Services were celebrated with religious devotion in all the Churches of Alexandria.
In Alexandria, in accordance with patriarchal tradition, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa presided over the Holy Services, visiting all the parishes of the city.
On the evening of Holy Thursday and Holy Friday, the Holy Passion Service and the Epitaph Service were held in the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, presided over by the Patriarch, Mr. Theodore II, who was accompanied by the Archpriests of the Alexandrian Throne, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Nafkratis and Bishop Nicodimos of Nicopolis.
On the morning of Holy Friday, the Service of the Great Hours and the Vespers of the Descent from the Cross were officiated at the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Sava the Sanctified, while later the Patriarch visited on pilgrimage all the Churches and the Greek Cemetery of the Great City, where he offered a memorial prayer for the repose of the souls of the Christians who have been buried for centuries.
In an atmosphere of devotion and emotion, the Patriarch presided again this year over the procession of the Holy Epitaph around the church, to the accompaniment of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Greek Community of Alexandria, playing the Epitaph’s Praises and the mournful marches, with the Egyptians following reverently and the scouts leading the way.
The Patriarch thanked those who came and attended the Services with devotion while addressing the two Archpriests of the Throne, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Nafkratis and Bishop Nicodimos of Nilopolis, he thanked them because they serve the Patriarchate. The Patriarch also stressed: “our Patriarchate is missionary, it has history, it has nobility, it has greatness, but also, when necessary, it ministers with simplicity as Simon Cyrenaeus, to bear the heavy cross of the long-standing legacy that perhaps other brothers of the same religious dogma wanted to ignore and add burdens to the Throne and its Primate”.
The Patriarch continued: “My children, as I contemplate the Passion of Christ, I contemplate sorrowfully our homodox brothers in martyred Ukraine, where for 10 long years I had been officiating the Passion Service like this evening. That is why I sympathize with them and ask our crucified Christ to drain the blood of the children that unjustly flows because they are not the cause of evil. Children are always the hope of this world.”
Finally, the Patriarch expressed the Patriarchate’s thanks to the President of the country of Egypt and thanked Greece through the Consul General.
The services were attended by the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Athanasios Kotsionis, the Third Secretary of the Embassy of Cairo, George Economou, the Vice President of the Greek Community of Alexandria, Andreas Vafiadis with the Community Committee, the President of the Greek Naval Club of Alexandria and the “Ptolemy A'” Lilika Thlivitou and all the representatives of the Greek associations of the city.
