In memory of the Holy glorious, great, God-crowned and Equal to the Apostles Emperors Constantine and Helen, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa officiated on Thursday 20May 2020 at Vespers which was served in the magnificent Church of Ss Constantine and Helen at the Hellenic Community in Cairo.
Due to the difficult situation being experienced by world humanity, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Patriarchal Vespers was held behind closed doors, with the participation of only His Eminence Nicodemus Metropolitan of Memphis and Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, the Head of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St. George Old Cairo Archimandrite Damaskinos and the clergy of the city of Cairo.
It was the first time that the Holy Church celebrated after its restoration by joint expenses of the Hellenic Community of Cairo and the Great Benefactor Mrs. Aikaterini Sofianou – Belefanti from Egypt, but also the first time that it did not open its impressive wooden doors for the faithful.
During the Artolasia service, His Beatitude the Patriarch prayed for the Hellenic Community of Cairo and for Mrs. Aikaterini Sofianou-Belefanti.
The ceremony and emotion were great. Tears of joy for the great feast of the Holy glorious, great, God-crowned and Equal to the Apostles Emperors but also for the ‘diamond’ of Orthodoxy in Africa that this year did not welcome the Greeks of Cairo and the Egyptians.
Immediately following the Patriarchal Vespers the Alexandrian Primate prayed in the Chapel of St Nestor which is dedicated to the founder of the Holy Church, Nestor Tsanaklis.
