HIS BEATITUDE THEODOROS II, POPE AND PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALL AFRICA PAYS A PASTORAL VISIT TO MWANZA, TANZANIA

Following a fourteen hour, arduous flight, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, together with Archimandrite Agathonikos Nicoalidis, arrived on Saturday 8th October 2016, at the International Airport in Mwanza, capital of the district of Mwanza in Tanzania and see of the local Metropolis of the Throne where he will pay a pastoral visit over the next few days.

The Primate of the Alexandrian Church was met at the Mwanza International Airport by the local Metropolitan Ieronymos together with clergy of the Metropolis and the Governor of the Mwanza District.

Today, Sunday 9th October 2016,the day of the 12th anniversary of the election of His Beatitude to the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria, His Beatitude the Patriarch conducted the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Cathedral of St Nicholas in Mwanza, together with the local Metropolitan Ieronymos of Mwanza and His Eminence Jonah Metropolitan of Kampala, performing the inauguration of the above-named Church, the construction of which was completely funded by the Holy Metropolis of Fthiotida, and then he ordained to the Deaconate Gaspar Kayungi, giving him the name Theodoros. Present were the honourable Consul General of Greece in Dar-es-Salaam Mr. William Ferentinos, the Chairman of the Pan Tanzanian Mr. Dimitrios Matthaiakis, the Governor of Mwanza Mr. John Μwengera, the Parliamentarian from Greece Mr. Dimitrios Kyriazides, Chairman of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Police Officers and members of the Inter-Orthodox Missionary Center “POREFTHENTES”, Sister Alexia who for the past 8 years serves at the Mission beside Metropolitan Ieronymos and is related to His Beatitude from the same Choreftakis family, pilgrims from Greece and many faithful.

Prior to the Dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude addressed the large congregation with words of love, and donated valuable Sacred appurtenances for the Divine Liturgy at the inaugurated Holy Church, and rewarded the Governor of Mwanza, the Parliamentarian My Kyriazides, the representative of the Missionary Center “POREFTHENDES” and the benefactor of the Mission Mrs. Barbara Panagiotopoulou; to the attending former Minister of Mineral Resources and member of the central council of the Government of Tanzania Mr. KARAMAGI, he gave a valuable icon of the Great Martyr George the Triumphant.

On the afternoon of the same day His Beatitude and Metropolitan Ieronymos visited the Metropolis Seminary which is under construction, the works having been halted due to the financial crisis. On the evening of the same day, His Beatitude with his entourage attended a dinner hosted in his honour by Metropolitan Ieronymos.