On 6th October 2011, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa visited Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, on the first leg of his long missionary journey to countries in East Africa, where he will celebrate the 7th anniversary of his election to the Apostolic and Patriarchal Throne of St Mark (9th October 2004).
His beatitude is expected to arrive in Harare tomorrow, 7th October 2011, where he will be officially welcomed by local authorities and the Orthodox faithful of the country.
He was also perticularly warmly welcomed in Addis Ababa and was met at the airport by Elder Metropolitan Petros of Aksum, the Patriarchal Vicar General,His Excellency the Ambassador of Greece in Ethiopia Mr Mihalis Daratzikis, His Excellency the Ambassador of Egypt Mr Mohamed Indris, representatives of the Hellenic Community of Addis Ababa and Greek Societies, teachers from the hellenic schools and other dignitaries.
The Alexandrian Primate thanked everyone warmly and expressed particular congratulations to His Excellency the Ambassador of Egypt on the National Day of the Land of the Nile, 6th October.
His Beatitude is accompanied by His Grace Nikodimos, Bishop of Nitria and Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo and the Honourable Mr Nicholas Katsikas Press Advisor to the Patriarchate.
His Beatitude will depart for Harare, Zimbabwe, on 7th October and, within the framework of his lengthy journey, he will also visit Malawi, where he will also inaugurate new churches of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia and Malawi.
