His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, conducted the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy on Sunday 22nd November 2020 at the Church of St Paul in the Kangira district, of the Holy Metropolis of Nairobi. The Holy Church of St Paul is the first church built in Kenya by pioneer Missionary Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos with money donated by the then King Paul of Greece. The first Theological Seminary started operating there and was visited by the Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus and after the visit he decided to proceed with the construction of a model seminary in Riruta.
During the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude prayed for the Immediate restoration of the health of Their Beatitudes Ieronymos Archbishop of Athens and Anastasios Archbishop of Tirana and for all those who are being tested by the pandemic and also prayed for the repose of Irenaios, Patriarch of Serbia.
Addressing the congregation, the Primate of Alexandria referred to the struggles and efforts of the first Missionaries in Kenya, who many decades ago defied the difficulties of the times and responded to the call of the Patriarchs of Alexandria and all of Africa to go down to Kenya and to preach the Gospel of the Lord and thus continue the work begun by the Apostle Mark who laid the foundations of Christianity at the gate of Africa which is Alexandria. He referred to the pandemic and its very serious effects on the societies of the nations and gave the assurance that the Patriarchate of Alexandria was, is and will always be by the side of its children, will support them in various ways and will fight for their spiritual progress and prosperity, emphasizing that no poor home in Africa will be left without the necessities of life.
In conclusion he thanked the Elder Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi for his many years of service to Kenya, since through his struggles and hard work he put his own stamp on the history of Orthodoxy in the country.
Con-celebrating at the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude were His Eminence the Elder Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi, Metropolitan George of Guinea, Their Graces Bishops Neophytos of Nyeri and Mount Kenya, Sylvester of Gulu and Markos of Kisumu, as well as African Clergy.
In the afternoon, the Patriarch of Alexandria visited the Patriarchal Seminary in Riruta and after venerating at the Holy Church of St Makarios, distributed food to the mothers of the students of the Orthodox schools of Riruta, since the schools have been closed since March and the children cannot partake of the daily school meal offered by the Church. The mothers with great emotion thanked His Beatitude who, despite the pandemic, came to them to support them with words of love and the offer of food, which are offered on a weekly basis.
