PATRIARCHAL AND SYNODAL DIVINE LITURGY IN ALEXANDRIA ON THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ELEVATION OF THE ALEXANDRIAN PRIMATE TO THE THRONE OF ST MARK

With great splendor and majesty, today, October 9, 2019, the Patriarchal and Synodal Divine Liturgy was held at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savva of the Holy See in Alexandria, with the participation of all the Hierarchs of Africa, who “with one mouth and one heart”, in complete dedication to their Venerable Primate, came to commemorate the fifteen-year anniversary of the ascension to the Throne of the Apostle Mark of the spiritual leader and father of all Africa, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa.

Also present were the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Mr. Athanasios Kotsionis, the Chairmen of the Hellenic Communities of Cairo and Alexandria Messrs. Christos Kavalis and Edmond Kasimatis, agents and Associations of the City of Alexandria and a large number of believers. During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude performed the ordination to the Diaconate of the Arabic-speaking Monk Parthenius Elnagar, while on the feast day His Eminence Metropolitan Nikidimos of Memphis, Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo gave the address.

In his reply, His Beatitude, once again moved and in tears, touched upon the issue of Migration, and embraced with his mind and heart those people who wished to avoid the injustice of war and all that it entailed, go as far as to sacrifice their lives, turning the waters of the Mediterranean into a “tomb for a drop of freedom”. Taking the opportunity from the presence of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women from Florina, who came to commemorate with their presence the anniversary of the Alexandrian Primate, he referred to our always Greek Macedonia, from which the Patriarch himself draws his origins, from his mother’s side.

In the afternoon of the same day the Holy and Sacred Synod continued its deliberations. At the start, His Beatitude awarded the medal of Supreme Commander of the Order of St Savvas, for those who this year had completed 10 years of hierarchical ministry, Their Eminences the Metropolitans Savvas of Nubia and Niphon of Pilousion. Thereafter the Holy Metropolis of Madagascar, following the establishment of the Holy Diocese of Toliara and South Madagascar, was renamed the “Holy Metropolis of Antananarivo and Northern Madagascar”, while the Holy Diocese of Bukoba was re-established for pastoral reasons, with His Grace Agathonikos Bishop of Arusha undertaking the responsibilities of locum tenens. Also, another new Ecclesiastical Province of the Throne was established, under the title of Holy Diocese of Eldoret in Kenya.

Thereafter, following the appointment of His Eminence Narcissus of Accra to the position of active Synodal Metropolitan of Naucratis, Most Honoured and Exarch of the Nile lands of Egypt, keeping the position of Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, the Very Reverend Petros Parginos was appointed as Metropolitan of Accra and the Very Reverend Markos Theodosi as Provincial Bishop of Kisumu. In conclusion Archimandrite Germanos Galanis was elected as Bishop of Tamiathus beside His Beatitude.

The session was completed with the recommendation of His Grace Sylvester Bishop of Goulou on the subject: Pastoral treatment of the issue of Magic in African countries ‘.