On the Sunday of the Blind Man, 9th June 2013, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, officiated at Vespers and the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral and Patriarchal Church of St Savvas in Alexandria and prior to the dismissal he donated to His Eminence Gabriel, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, an ornate, silver reliquary, containing a piece of the holy Relics of the Holy, glorious Great Martyr Minas the Egyptian, patron saint of the Metropolitan Church of Ismailia, which was made in Cyprus sponsored by His Eminence Athanasios, Metropolitan of Cyrene, as an enduring blessing and sanctification of the pious Christians of the Holy Metropolis of Leontopolis.
(Note that the Relics of St Minas the Egyptian [+304] were placed in the area of the Mariut Lake and already from the first byzantine years a Church was built in his honour, while during the reign of Emperor Arcadius an even larger Basilica was built and an entire city organized (the city of St Minas). During the excavations of the last century, around the Basilica was discovered a building complex, the baptistery, the priories, the source of sanctification, the baths, the ovens, the cemeteries, etc. the prolific presence of Hellenic inscriptions affirms the Hellenic character of this holy area. Today there is a large Coptic monastery in the area).
Also, His Beatitude awarded the Gold Lion of the Apostle Mark to Mrs. Eleni Dalgitsi, Philologist, who is leaving the Greek Schools of Alexandria, who is distinguished for her 5year contribution of her valuable services to the young scholars of the Community.
