On Saturday 3rd October 2015, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the start of the new Parliamentary Period of the plenary session of the Pan-African Parliament.
Today, Sunday 4th October, His Beatitude conducted the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of the Forerunner in Germiston, concelebrated by the local Metropolitan Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria and His Grace Ioannis Bishop of Mozambique and His Grace Neophytos of Nitria.
This gave the opportunity to celebrate also the anniversary of Cypriot Independence and the Feast of the Patro Saint of the Cypriot Brotherhood in South Africa, “Panagia of Kykko”. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Patriarch addressed the large congregation in words of love, and spoke in detail of the long Cypriot problem, praying thea quick and beneficial solution for the good of the Cypriot people.
The Patriarch offered to the Brotherhood in commemoration a true copy of the miraculous icon of St George of Cairo. In his reply to His Beatitude, the Chairman of the Cypriot Brotherhood in South Africa Mr. Andreas Dimitriou, thanked the Patriarch for the greatest honour and joy of his presence among us, wishing him great success in his multifaceted work.
Following the end of the Liturgical Synaxis, a festive lunch was hosted in the hall of the Cypriot Brotherhood of South Africa, in the presence of His Beatitude the Patriarch, his entourage and crowds of people.
