On Thursday 21st October 2021, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, accompanied by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Elpidophoros Limnaios, where he was welcomed by the Metropolitan Dimitrios of Irenopolis, the Egyptian Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Gaber Abulwafa, the Consul of Egypt Mr. Ahmed Abdelaziz, the Honorary Consul of Greece Mr. William Ferentinos, as well as Messrs. Konstantinos Giannakopoulos and Panayiotis Tsegas.
On Saturday 23rd October 2021, His Beatitude had a meeting with Ex. Ambassador of Egypt Mohamed Gaber Abulwafa, during which in the person of His Excellency, he thanked the President of Egypt Mr. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, for the help and support he provides to the Patriarchate, but also for the recent donation of land in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt. His Excellency then hosted a formal lunch in honor of His Beatitude. The lunch was also attended by the Palestinian Ambassador Hamdi Mansour Abu Ali, the Consul General of Egypt, His Eminence the Metropolitan Dimitrios of Irenopolis and the Very Reverend Archimandrite Elpidophoros Limnaios.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Patriarch went to the Holy Metropolitan Church of Saint Paraskevi Dar Es Salaam, where he was warmly welcomed by the clergy and the people. A Doxology was sung there, followed by a Priests Synaxis, where His Beatitude expressed his joy on being in Tanzania, while emphasizing to the priests that they will always have the support of their Patriarch.
Immediately after the end of the Priests’ Synaxis the Greek Community of Dar es Salaam hosted a dinner in honor of His Beatitude. His Beatitude after speaking to the members of the community paternally, thanked them for the dinner and prayed that Holy God would soon free His children from the Coronavirus disease, so that people’s lives could return to normal. In closing, His Beatitude, deeply moved, sang the National Anthem with those present at the dinner.
On Sunday 24th October 2021, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, served the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Metropolitan Church of St Paraskevi in Dar Es Salaam, concelebrating with His Eminence Dimitrios Metropolitan of Irenopolis. In the Sanctuary were the Very Reverend Archimandrite Elpidophoros Limnaios and the clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Irenopolis, of whom one of the clergy is from the Masai tribe.
The entire Greek community, Ethiopians and believers from the Masai tribe, were present at the Eucharistic Gathering.
By venerable order of His Beatitude, the homily was given by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Elpidophoros Limaios, who referred to the pride of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Mission and the characteristics of Missionaries, making specific mention of the example of the late blessed Fr. Nicodemus Sarikas.
Referring to the great person Fr. Nicodemus the Very Reverend Archimandrite definitively emphasized: “Your Beatitude, as long as there are inspired people like Archimandrite Nicodemus Sarikas the world will have hope of being reborn from its ashes and to give brilliant examples of love and sacrifice by preaching the Word of the Lord, as Christ taught us with His undivided love ”.
Prior to the Dismissal, His Beatitude id the memorial service of the late blessed Metropolitan Proterios of Diospolis, first Bishop of Dar Es Salaam, the late blessed Archimandrite and first enlightener of Tanzania Fr, Nicodemus Sarikas as well as various other other residents of the Greek Community of Dar es Salaam. Shortly afterwards, he consecrated five readers, three of whom were from Tanzania and two from the Masai tribe.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Alexandrian Primate went to the spiritual center of the Holy Church which he inaugurated.
His Beatitude then met with Tanzanian Vice President Mr. Philip Mpango, to whom he gave condolences on the recent death of President John Magufuli and prayed that the forthcoming election would show forth a worthy successor and continuer of his vision. In addition, he warmly thanked the Vice President, because despite the transitional stage of the country, both he and the other members of the Government, continue just like the late blessed President to support the work of the Diocese and the Greek community.
On Monday 25th October 2021, His Beatitude, completing an arduous but also spiritual tour, full of joy and cheerfulness, departed from Dar es Salaam for Alexandria, the See of the Alexandrian Throne.
