On 14th August 2017, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, officiated at Great Vespers at the Holy Patriarchal Church of St Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, prior to the end of which he conducted the Service of the Lamentations and the procession of the Epitaphios of the Mother of God, in the Courtyard of the Monastery, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis. On the next day, 15th August, the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, His Beatitude the Patriarch officiated during Orthros, conducted the Divine Liturgy and preached the homily, at the celebrating Holy Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos of the Arabic speaking community of Alexandria, accompanied by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Daniel Biazis, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod. Present at the Eucharistic Gathering were the Honourable Consuls General of Greece, Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis, of Lebanon Mr. Ossama Khashab, of Spain Mr. Juan Manuel Vilaplana López, the representative of the Cypriot Brotherhood of Alexandria Mr. George Eleftheriou, representative of Arabic speaking Orthodox and Greek Societies, Scouts from Alexandria and Cairo and many faithful. In his homily to the faithful, the Alexandrian Primate praised the honoured figure of the Mother of the Lord and mother of all people, for her decisive contribution to the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son and Word of God, in accepting within herself the God Man Jesus Christ Himself bequeathing thereby the highest honour of being the Mother of our Lord. He emphasized the salvific intercession of the Hoy Virgin and the constant help which she gives to all, and prayed that the Theotokos will protect by her Grace all those who call on her in their prayers, particularly those who are distressed, the sick and the orphaned children of the world. Immediately following the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, the Procession of the Holy Mother of God took place around the Church, accompanied by the Philharmonic group of the Arabic Orthodox Community, and thereafter, the Chairman Mr. Fouad Farah, hosted a festive reception in the Spiritual Centre of the Church.
