Egypt – Nikos Katsikas
With reverence, today, the Patriarch of Alexandria ordained the new Bishop of Kisumu and Western Kenya, Markos, at the Feast of the Holy Church of Saint Savvas the Sanctified, one of the historical Greek-Orthodox monasteries in Africa that have linked their history to Egyptian Hellenism.
Welcoming the new Bishop to the Hierarchy, the Alexandrian Primate spoke of the privilege the Alexandrian Church always had of being the Church of the poor and the afflicted, in an Alexandria that for many centuries existed as the Theological Centre.
Patriarch Theodoros pointed out the new Bishop’s love for the Church and the Second-throned Patriarchate of Orthodoxy.
For his part, the new Bishop Markos, shortly before passing through the Royal Doors, during his moving speech, spoke of Patriarch Theodoros, ‘the tireless shepherd who meets lords and politicians, but at the same time leads the faithful of Africa, stressing that he also comes from Africa, as he was born in Johannesburg.
The Ordination was attended by the Elder Metropolitan of Nairobi Makarios, the Metropolitan of Johannesburg and Pretoria Damaskinos, the Metropolitan of Sudan Savvas, the Metropolitan of Naucratis and Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria Narkissos, the Bishop of Nitria and Patriarchal Exarch in Cyprus Nikodemos and the Bishop of Tamiathus and Abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas in Alexandria Germanos.
Also in attendance were the Honorable Chairman of the Greek Community of Benoni, South Africa, Mr Nikitas Korfias, the President of the Association of Greek Scientists of Alexandria ‘Ptolemy I’, Lilika Thivitou and the Vice-Chairlady of the Brotherhood of Cypriots in Egypt, Mrs. Georgia Mastouridis, due to the fact that the new Bishop has Cypriot parents.
