On Thursday 24th May 2012, His beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa attended the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of Pantanassa in Johannesburg and then met with Mr. Cleopas Elias, Chairman of the Cypriot Brotherhood of South Africa and the members of the Executive Council, in the presence of His Excellency the High Commissioner of Cyprus Mr. Petros Nacouzis.
His Beatitude heard from Mr. Elias regarding the activities of the Brotherhood and spoke to them in turn of the work of the Patriarchate on the African Continent, as well as about the granting of a large piece of land from the Cypriot Government by proposal of Mr. Dimitri Christofias, in Nicosia for the development of an Exarchate.
On the afternoon of the same day he met with the Honorable Consul General of Greece in Johannesburg Mrs. Evangelia Grammatika.
On the morning of Friday 25th May 2012, His Beatitude visited SAHETI SCHOOL, one of the best in the country. He was met there by the Head of the School, Mrs Krystallidis, the Parish Priest of the School Chapel the Very Reverend Archimandrite Petros Parginos and the staff. The Patriarch spoke to the pupils, gave his blessings and then went to the School Hall where he was met by the 1270 pupils of the School and the entire Staff body. Mrs Krystallidis presented the Patriarch and spoke of his multifaceted work. His Beatitude then addressed words of love and among other things told the pupils to praise God for giving them the opportunity of being educated at tone of the best schools in the country and to never forget the millions of children in Africa who do not have the opportunity of going to school. The children then sang church hymns.
At noon he had a private meeting with His Excellency the High Commissioner of Cyprus Mr. Petros Nacouzis, through whom the Alexandrian Primate expressed gratitude for the assistance granted by the State and Church of Cyprus to the Patriarchate.
That night he attended a function hosted by the Association of Greeks from Egypt at the Hellenic Community Hall in Germiston. He was welcomed there by the Chairman Mr Constantinos Georgiou, the Members of the Executive Committee, diplomats and community dignitaries. In his address the Patriarch spoke about the historic presence of Greeks in Egypt and to the enormous contribution made by Greeks from Egypt both to Greece and to other places in the world where they continue to flourish and to contribute. He then awarded the Medal of the Lion of St Mark to Mr. Spyridon Theocharopoulos, Ambassador of Greece in South Africa.
