On the 20th January 2018, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Town) in South Africa, where the Holy Metropolis of Good Hope is majestically celebrating the 50th anniversary since its establishment by Patriarchal and Synodal Tome in 1968.
Immediately after his arrival at the Cape Town International Airport, accompanied by the Reverend Fr. Athenodoros Papaevripiades, together with His Eminence Sergios Metropolitan of Good Hope, the Honorable Consul of Greece in Cape Town Mr. Thomas Matsoukas, the Honorable Honorary Consul of Cyprus Mr. Babis Philippou and the Honorable Chairman of the Hellenic Community of Cape Town Mr. Fotis Sousalis, they went to the Orthodox Mission Centre in Khayelitsha.
Fr. Basil Sambou, a Priest from the Xhosa tribe (of which the fighter for human rights and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela also came). Note that the area is plagued by poverty, high crime indexes and diseases.
His Beatitude was warmly welcomed with dancing and songs, by the group of children from the Centre, and immediately thereafter he conducted the Service of Sanctification and the inauguration of the newly-established Centre.
He expressed his congratulations to Metropolitan Sergios as well as to the local Orthodox Community, for their contribution to the creation of the first Orthodox Missionary Centre which, as he said, will contribute material assistance, will contribute also spiritual progress and will grant the opportunity for experience and choice as a way of life, the Orthodox faith and sacramental worship of our Church. He then gave gifts to all the children.
They all then went to the Orthodox Centre in Landsdowne. There again His Beatitude expressed his joy and satisfaction, thanking everyone involved, the Hellenic Community of Cape Town and all who help the Orthodox Centre and Orthodox Mission.
The local Metropolitan, His Eminence Sergios, gave a commemorative gift to the Alexandrian Primate, expressing the gratitude of the Local Church for the visit.
Immediately thereafter the Patriarch went to venerate at the Holy chapel of Ss Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, within the grounds of the Holy Metropolis in Rondebosch, which he had inaugurated six years previously. There, Deacon Nicholas Esterhuizen gave him an icon of the Saviour Christ, done by himself, for the See of the Patriarchate in Alexandria.
