On Monday 18thFebruary 2012 His Beatitude Theodoros II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, in the framework of his pastoral visit to Tanzania, met with His Excellency the President of the country Mr. Jakaya M. Kikwete at the Presidential Mansion.
During the warm welcome show to the Venerable Primate of the Alexandrian Church by the President of Tanzania, His Beatitude had the opportunity of presenting both the historic journey of the Patriarchate as well as its multifaceted activities on the African Continent as far as philanthropic and social issues are concerned.
He spoke particularly of the work done by the Orthodox Church in Tanzania through the two Holy Metropolises, The Holy Metropolis of Irinopolis and the Holy Metropolis of Mwanza, emphasizing their contribution to education and particularly to health, through the creation of many clinics throughout the country and the care which many voluntary medical missions from Greece give.
In his turn the President thanked His Beatitude the Patriarch for the honour of visiting the country and himself, assured him that the state and the local authorities will always assist the efforts of the Orthodox Church, which contributes greatly to the people of Tanzania and was enormously impressed by His Beatitudeʼs initiatives regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa.
He also spoke with warm words about the more than one hundred year presence of the Hellenic Community in Tanzania, expressed his joy because the Greeks that live and work in the country love progress, are hard working and peaceful citizens, who contribute also to the development and prosperity of the nation.
His Beatitude then thanked His Excellency President Kikwete for the wholehearted welcome and the substantial discussion they had and ended by awarding him the Great Cross of the Order of the Lion of Alexandria.
Present at the meeting between His Beatitude and the President of Tanzania which was covered by all the Media of the Country, were His Eminence Dimitrios of Irinopolis, and His Eminence Ieronymos of Mwanza, the Honourable Deputy Ambassador of Egypt in Tanzania Mr. Ibrahim Hamza Inrahim, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Meletios Koumanis and the Chairman of the Pan Tanganikan Union of Hellenes Mr. Dimitrios Mantheakis.
In the next few days His Beatitude will continue his missionary journey in the interior of the country where he will visit the 61 parishes and the 4 Missionary Centres.
Archim. Meletios Koumanis
