ALEXANDRIAN PATRIARCH’S VISIT TO BOTSWANA

His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa flew together with his entourage on Tuesday 23rd November 2021 to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

At the airport the Patriarch was welcomed by the Chairman and members of the Greek Community.

His Beatitude has repeatedly expressed his special weakness for Botswana, because as Metropolitan of Zimbabwe, he often visited the country and the local community, having developed close ties with Greek families.

On the following day, Wednesday 24th November 2021, His Beatitude officiated at Orthros and the Divine Liturgy at the Serbian Church of St Savvas in Gaborone.

The Divine Liturgy was served by the Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate of Alexandria Archimandrite Nicodemus Totkas and the Serbian Priest Fr Isaiah Markovic, in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Serbia Mr. Goran Goran Vujičić, the Honorary Consuls of Greece Mr. Michael Sioutas and of Cyprus Mr. George Kazantzis, the founder of the Serbian community in Botswana Mr. Mike Nicolic, as well as many faithful Christians fro the Greek and Serbian Communities.

His Beatitude spoke warmly about the small Serbian community and praised it for the construction of the Church and the spiritual center, which were completed in a short space of time.

Admiring the work, he expressed the gratitude of the entire Orthodox Church for the existence of this new Church and the spiritual center, because, as he stated, all of Orthodoxy is a family.

Also, in the face of His Excellency the Ambassador of Serbia, Mr. Vujičić, he praised the glorious and heroic Serbian people who know how to strive. Addressing the representatives of the Greek community, he stressed that the two peoples, Greek and Serbian, are connected by a long-term friendship.

He noted that although they live far from their homeland, they maintain their traditions and religion. He also stated his desire for everyone to celebrate Christmas together.

In the person of the Serbian priest Fr. Isaiah Markovic, who traveled from Johannesburg, he greeted Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia, a dear friend and brother, and prayed for the repose of the blessed Patriarch Ireneos, who laid the foundation of the Church of St Savvas.

That night, His Beatitude and his entourage departed for South Africa.