On Sunday 4th December 2016, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa officiated and preached the homily during Great Vespers at the celebrating Holy Patriarchal Church of St Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, together with His Eminence Narcissos Metropolitan of Accra, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, Clergy of the Patriarchate, the Honourable Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis, the representative of the Hellenic Community, associations and Societies from the community. During the Patriarchal Vespers, a piece of the relics of the Venerable Savvas the Sanctified which are kept at the Holy Monastery, were placed for veneration.
His Beatitude officiated on the day of the feast, Monday 5th December 2016, during Orthros and the Divine Liturgy at the above-named celebrating Patriarchal Church.
In his homily, His Beatitude spoke with particular emotion of the ascetic life and times of our Venerable Father Savvas the Sanctified. Then, in an emotionally charged atmosphere, he bade farewell to His Eminence Meletios of Carthage and His Grace Agathonikos, the elected Bishop of Arusha, who will very soon be leaving for their Sees, thanking them for their exemplary ministry to the Patriarchal See.
In reply His Eminence Meletios Metropolitan of Carthage, visibly emotional, expressing his gratitude to the Venerable Alexandrian Primate, as well as to St Savvas, donated to the Holy Monastery an ornate silver reliquary and an embroidered set of vestments.
A reception followed in the guest hall of the Holy Monastery.
Note that the celebrating Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, is the religious centre of the Hellenic Community in the Great City of Alexander; it has been in operation since the 4th century A.D. and during its historic journey this monastic dwelling, apart from being a Patriarchal See, was also a hospital, poor house, school, cemetery of Patriarchs etc. Within the main Church there is a marble pillar on which, according to tradition, the Great Alexandrian Martyr Saint Catherine was tied and martyred by beheading, and on the Holy Altar in the Sanctuary, St Nektarios Bishop of Pentapolis was ordained and granted the Grace of the Priesthood.
