On Thursday 13th October 2022, the official visit of Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa to the Archdiocese of America, was completed.
His Beatitude in his statements before his departure from the capital Washington D.C., addressed a greeting of love and thanksgiving to His All Holiness Bartholomaios, the Ecumenical Patriarch, with whose prayer and blessing this historic visit, which was a complete success, took place.
He then wholeheartedly thanked His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for the “hospitality of Abraham”, his love and his sincere support of the efforts of the Patriarchate and the excellent organization and supervision of the first visit of the Patriarch of Alexandria to America. Among other things, His Beatitude said: “Your Eminence Metropolitan of America, you are an authentic child of the Great Church of Christ, within your heart is the beat of the Phanar, you are a bright shining star and this brightness will illuminate your entire blessed province which is the pride and hope of the Ecumenical Patriarchate”.
The Patriarch thanked Dr. Antonis Lymberakis and all the Lords of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the “Patriarch of Athenagoras” award, Fr. Alexandros Karloutsos, His Eminence’s associates and all the expatriates he met during his stay in the USA.
Finally, referring to his meeting with the President of America, Mr. Joe Biden, he emphasized that this meeting was achieved thanks to the power and respect enjoyed by Greeks in America.
During his meeting with the President, the Patriarch had the opportunity to inform him about the humanitarian work carried out by the Patriarchate in Africa, the excellent relations of the Patriarchate with the Preside nt of Egypt Mr. El-Sisi and for how much the peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims in Egypt has stabilized due to his contribution, as well as how much the Egyptian President supports the work of the Patriarchate. In his conclusion, he made a detailed reference to the predatory invasion of the Russian Church into the canonical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate in Africa and the activities of the executive bodies of its pseudo-exarchy which are against Church canons and thanked the President for his love for the person of the Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop Elpidophoros.
Bidding farewell to His Eminence at the door of the Egypt Airways Airlines, expressed his emotion about all that he experienced in America and wished for him to be always healthy and to continue his successful course, a course based on his charismatic person, and on all he learned while serving the martyred Phanar and his relentless struggle for Christ and His Church
