On 13th October 2017, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa officiated at the service of Orthros and the Divine Liturgy, at the Holy Monastery of St Savvas of Alexandria, in memory of our Father Amongst the Saints Meletios Pegas, Patriarch of Alexandria and Supervisor of the Ecumenical Throne. The ancient and martyred Church Alexandria, majestically honours and cherishes the Holy Patriarchs, who have brightened the Apostolic Throne of St Mark, in the course of its two-thousand year history.
Saint Meletios originating from Heraklion (Handakos) and brother of the holy Monastery of Agarathos in Crete, honoured the Ecumenical Throne and the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He was a person filled with Holy Spirit, a bright and multidimensional personality, giving very great services to all of Orthodoxy. He struggled vigorously, throughout his short life, for the religious and national survival of the Nation, in difficult times. He showed excessive zeal for the Church and dedication to the Orthodox faith. He strongly defended against the attacks of the Latins and their anti-Christian aspirations, which was why he was defined as the “new Fotios” in the post-schismatic Church.
The Church of Alexandria, during the Patriarchal tenure of the late Patriarch Petros VII, during the meeting of the Holy Synod of 17th September 2002, following an in-depth recommendation by the Metropolitans of Cameroon Theodoros (now Patriarch of Alexandria) and Makarios of Kenya, through an official Act of Sanctification, wrote his name in the books of its Saints.
The Holy Service in honour of St Meletios was compiled at the instigation of His Beatitude Theodoros II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, who very much venerates the new Father and illuminator of the Church, as they were both brothers of the Holy Monastery of Agarathos, in Heraklion, Crete, but also as his successor on the Throne of St Mark.
Author of the service of the Saint, is the Most Holy Kyrillos Metropolitan of Rhodes (known as Kogerakis), and inspired and charismatic hymnographer of the Church and of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
