On 5th January 2023, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, officiated during the service of the Great Hours, Great Vespers and the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Patriarchal Church of St Savvas the Sanctified.
During the Feast of Theophany His Beatitude served the Divine Liturgy and the performed the Service of the Greater Sanctification of Water, concelebrating together with Their Eminences Panteleimon of Naucratis and Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod and Narcissus Metropolitan of Pelusium, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, as well as His Holiness Germanos Metropolitan of Tamiathus, Abbot of the aforementioned Patriarchal Monastery, at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in the Great City, attended by the Honourable Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Mr. Athanasios Kotsionis, representing the country, the Hellenic Community, the Cyprus Brotherhood, Greek societies and office bearers and many Christian faithful.
Immediately after, the Mac.Patriarch, the holy clergy, the authorities and the faithful went to the facilities of the Hellenic Naval Club of Alexandria (ENOA), where the ceremony of sanctifying the waters took place. Five Greek youth fell into the icy waters of the sea to retrieve the Holy Cross. To them, His Beatitude offered commemorative gifts and blessings.
Afterwards, the Alexandrian Primate blessed the New Year Cake of the Hellenic Naval Club. In his short greeting, after congratulating the President of E.N.O.A. Ms. Lilika Thlivitou and the members of the Board of Directors for their multifaceted activity, referred to the coexistence of the countries of the eastern Mediterranean and the imperative need for peace in the area, solidarity and harmonious cooperation to prevail, stressing with particular emphasis that “the Mediterranean must remain the sea that will always unite the peoples around it in a dialogic and constructive coexistence. We must never allow it to act as a ‘water wall’ of division and isolation between them.”
This was followed by a festive reception in honor of the Patriarch, the authorities and all present.
Photographs by Gregory Halkiakopoulos
