On 10th May 2022 His Beatitude Theodoros II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, at the Patriarchal Church of St Nicholas in the coastal district of Ibrahimia in Alexandria on the occasion of the translation of the holy relic of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.
After the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude officiated during the Patriarchal Order of the enthronement ceremony of His Eminence Panteleimon Metropolitan of Naucratis formerly of Brazzaville and Gabon, now Chief Secretary and Member of the Holy Synod.
Addressing the enthroned Metropolitan, His Beatitude referred to his productive ministry in the Ancient Church of St. Mark for sixteen (16) consecutive years from 2006 until today, of which the first seven in the Alexandrian Patriarchal See and the next nine in the Missionary field in Africa. He emphasized that "few hierarchs in the history of the Throne were tested and their hearts wounded by human wickedness and envy as much as yours was in the performance of your pastoral duties in equatorial Africa. But this ordeal brought you recognition, my dear son. As gold in the crucible you were tested, but as the Three Children in the fiery furnace you glorified the Name of the Triune God, always armed with obedience to the Church, humility and devotion to duty". He also mentioned that the historic Holy Church of St. Nicholas of Ibrahimia, whose consecration was inaugurated exactly one year ago, on May 10, 2021, after the completion of its renovation work under the tireless supervision of the distinguished and humble Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, His Eminence Narcissus then of Naucratis, now Metropolitan of Pelusium, will henceforth be the See of the Holy Metropolis of Naucratis in the broader region of eastern Alexandria.
In conclusion he invoked the intercessions of the All Holy Virgin of Tinos and the prayer of the late blessed Metropolitan Dorotheos I (Stekas) of Syros who ordained His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon as Deacon and Priest, as well as that of his parents Andreas and Evangelia who live in Tinos, that they may accompany the Metropolitan of Naucratis in his new ministry beside the Patriarch, while he also expressed gratitude to His Eminence Dorotheos II, Metropolitan of Syros-Tinos, beside whom the His Eminence Panteleimon served as Preacher and Director of Services of the Holy Metropolis of Syros, for his ceaseless support of the Patriarchate.
In his reply His Eminence referred to the multiple benefits he received from the His Beatitude and the Patriarchate, to his turbulent pastoral ministry at the Holy Metropolis of Brazzaville and the experience gained from it, and emphasized the power of prayer and forgiving love as a response to any form of difficulty from wherever it comes and expressed his eternal gratitude and devotion to the Throne of St. Mark and his spiritual Father and Benefactor, "the always smiling, discreet and positive in thought and attitude of life Patriarch Theodoros, who knows perfectly well to spread only joy with his every action".
Present at the enthronement of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Naucratis, were His Eminence Narcissus Metropolitan of Pelusium, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, His Grace Germanos Bishop of Tamiathus and Abott of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of the Venerable Savvas of Alexandria and His Grace Nicodemus Bishop of Nilopoli, Director of the Private patriarchal Office, clergy of the Patriarchal Court and the Archdiocese of Alexandria, representatives of community officials and others.
Curriculum Vitae
His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon, Most Supreme and Exarch of the Nile Region of Egypt (Arathymos) was born on the holy island of Tinos in 1974. He holds a degree from the Department of Theology of the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens and a graduate of the French Institute of Athens. He speaks English, French and Italian.
He was ordained Deacon in 2000 and Priest – Archimandrite in 2001 by the late blessed Metropolitan Dorotheos I of Syros, and served as Preacher and Director of Services of the Holy Metropolis of Syros, beside His Eminence Dorotheos II of Syros (2001-).
Recalled in September of 2006 to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, he successively served as Director of Development Projects, Coder of the Holy Synod, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office and Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod.
He is also a Member of the Patriarchal Committee on European Affairs, as well as of the Inter-Orthodox Committee on Bioethics and the Advisory Board of the International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) (King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue), representing the Ancient Alexandrian Church.
He accompanied His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, on official visits and missionary journeys, and also represented the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria in inter-Orthodox, inter-religious, inter-faith international and scientific meetings.
On 21st November 2021, by proposal of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria, he was unanimously elected by the Holy Synod a first Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Brazzaville and Gabon, ordained as Hierarch on 2nd December 2012 by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria, where he had ministered as Parish Priest during the years 2006 – 2012.
The Holy Diocese of Brazzaville and Gabon was founded by Patriarchal and Synodal Tome on October 7, 2010, and was elevated to a Holy Metropolis on October 24, 2017.
During his pastoral ministry, His Eminence saw to the completion of unfinished churches the most notable being the Cathedral of St. Demetrius in Pointe-Noire, which was inaugurated by the His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, on February 17, 2018 during his official visit to the Congo, saw to the building of churches, baptized many new Orthodox Christians, ordained priests, promoted the ecclesiastical institutions of his ecclesiastical province, granted it financial autonomy through the creation of permanent sources of income, and achieved the recognition of Orthodoxy as one of the official Churches of the Republic of Gabon through the issuance of a Presidential Decree.
He was also the first non-African President of the National Council of Christian Churches of the Republic of the Congo in its fifty-year history, established it legally by obtaining the issuing a Ministerial Decree, attached to it the first legal statutes, thoroughly renovated its headquarters and offered financial support.
On January 30, 2019, following a Decision of His Excellency thePresident of the Republic of Congo, he received the highest honorary distinction of the country, the medal and title of Knight Officer of the aforementioned Republic.
On January 12, 2022, he was elected Active Synodal Metropolitan of Naucratis, again undertaking the duties of Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Second Throne Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.
