ADMINISTRATIVE REASSIGNMENTS AT THE SEE OF THE SUPREME PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA

On January 6, 2025, during the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy celebrated in the beautiful Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos of Alexandria on the Feast of Theophany, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, announced to the
Church the following two administrative decisions concerning the Patriarchal See of the Great City of Alexandria:

A. The conclusion of the ministry of His Eminence Metropolitan Narcissus of Pelusium, as Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, which began on September 14, 2016, to whom His Beatitude expressed grateful thanks for his productive and zealous engagement with the Vicariate’s duties
regarding the Great City of Alexandria.
The Venerable Primate of the Second Throne Patriarchate offered His Eminence the Metropolitan of Pelusium a pastoral staff, expressing his paternal wishes for the spiritual
advancement of the historic Holy Metropolis of Pelusium, whose seat is located in the city of Port Said, Egypt. He also announced the conferral of the ecclesiastical office of “the Apokrisiarius (High Diplomatic Office) of the Supreme Patriarchate of Alexandria, of all the land
of Egypt and of all Africa, in the Ancient Patriarchal Thrones of Antioch and Jerusalem, and in the rest of the Christian Churches in the Middle East, which is suffering warlike hostilities,” according to the relevant Patriarchal Letter, which was read to the Christian flock by His
Eminence Panteleimon Metropolitan of Ptolemais, Chief Secretary and Member of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ancient Patriarchate.

B. The appointment of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Damaskinos Alazrai, who has served most worthily since June 2020, as Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint George in Old Cairo, to the position of Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria. To the Very Reverend Fr.
Damaskinos, His Beatitude expressed the Patriarchal satisfaction and the just praise of the Church for the aesthetic restoration of the environment of the prestigious Church of St. George, known as the “Rotunda of the East”, together with the buildings therein, as well as the adjacent
Greek Orthodox Cemetery with the monuments of great artistic value, the establishment of a relic repository, a conference space, as well as for its success as a main attraction for pilgrims
and visitors from all over the world.

To the new Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, His Beatitude offered a Patriarchal pectoral Cross and delivered the relevant Patriarchal Letter of Blessing, which was previously officially read by His Eminence the Chief Secretary, Metropolitan Panteleimon.

It is noted that the new Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, Archimandrite Mr. Damaskinos, born Joseph Alazrai, is Jordanian by origin and was born in Kuwait in 1987. After graduating
from the Ecclesiastical School of Xanthi, he studied Theology at the Theological Faculty of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where he completed his Postgraduate studies in the field of Systematic Theology. In 2019, he was awarded a Doctorate from the Philosophy School of the Swiss International University. He also holds a Diploma in Counseling & Psychology from the Mediterranean College of Athens and is a candidate for a Doctorate from the Theological School of the Aristotelian University of Thessalonica.
He was ordained Deacon in 2008 by the then Bishop of Diableia, His Eminence Damaskinos Metropolitan of Didymoteicho, Orestiada and Soufli. In 2009 he received the office of Archdeacon of the Holy Metropolis of Didymoteicho and in 2011 he was ordained to the
Priesthood by the same Hierarch, receiving on the same day the office of Archimandrite.

In 2014, he received the office of Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne from His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios. He served in the Vicariate of the Palestinian and Jordanian Orthodox Communities of the Holy Archdiocese of America (2015 – 2019), where at
the same time, during his stay in the USA, he completed his knowledge of the English language by successfully attending full English learning programs at UCR Extension and the American English Institute, corresponding Schools in Los Angeles-California.

Since 2012, he has served the needs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria from time to time, with the permission and blessing of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, whose holy clergy he finally
joined in 2019. In June 2020, he was enthroned as Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint George in Old Cairo, by the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, His Beatitude Theodore II. From 2020 to 2022, he was appointed General Secretary of the Council of
Churches of Egypt, in which he represents His Beatitude the Patriarch. On January 6, 2025, he was appointed, with the Paternal support and sense of honour of the Patriarchate of
Alexandria, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria.

The Very Reverend speaks Greek, English, as well as his native language, Arabic, fluently.

From the Chief Secretariat
of the Holy and Sacred Synod