BRIEF VISIT BY HIS BEATITUDE TO THE HOLY METROPOLIS OF JOHANNESBURG

        His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa paid a brief visit to the Holy Metropolis of Johannesburg and Pretoria from 11th to 15th October 2013.
     

       During his brief visit he had the opportunity of seeing his spiritual children and too bless them, at the same time giving them spiritual support through his paterna words for the contemporary problems which each person is facing in this difficult time we are experiencing.
He also had the opportunity of participating on Friday evening in the farewell function which had been organized in the SAHETI avli in honour of Mrs Soula Krystallidis who is retiring from service; he also spoke about her forty-year contribution to education.
 
      On Sunday 13 October 2013 he officiated at the Holy Church of Pantanassa in Johannesburg where crowds of faithful went to participate in the Divine Liturgy and to receive His Beatitude’s blessing. He spoke appropriately and topically on the subject of the Parable of the Sower, and present the efforts he is making worldwide at every opportunity during his official visits for our Patriarchate, for his flock, his beloved Africans, as he said, for Hellenism and its rights.
 

      On the afternoon of Tuesday 15th October he visited the GRACE CENTRE Institute in Berea, Johannesburg, where on private ground belonging to the Holy Metropolis of Johannesburg and Pretoria, massive social, humanistic and educational efforts are being undertaken on a daily basis for fifty and more “street children” who have no parents or family care. Awaiting the Patriarch were the Ambassador and the Consul General of Greece as well as other community agents.
 

       He also had the opportunity of meeting the Priests of the Holy Diocese, as well as the Office Bearers of the Patriarchate in South Africa, as well as certain others of the community.
 

From the Holy Metropolis of Johannesburg and Pretoria