THE PATRIARCHAL VISIT TO THE DIOCESE OF TOLIARA AND SOUTHERN MADAGASCAR CONTINUES

Today, Saturday, September 10, 2022, during the second day of his missionary visit, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, had a meeting in a cordial atmosphere with the Regional Governor of Toliara Mr. SOLONDRAZA Arson Theodolin Lydore Adore with whom he discussed matters of mutual cooperation for the benefit of the residents.

Afterwards, he received a warm welcome from the students of the theological and ecclesiastical seminary.

The seminary bears the name of Saint Mark the Apostle and Evangelist, the founder of the Church in Africa. His Beatitude the Patriarch performed the established Consecration and inaugurated the seminary of the Holy Diocese, as well as its offices. Afterwards, Patriarch Theodoros proceeded to the granting of the cassocks to the first students of the seminary.

The seminary, following the blessing of the His Grace Prodromos Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar is under the direction of Protopresbyter Antonios Bafaloukos Dr. Missionary and Postdoctoral Researcher of the N.K.U.A in missionary matters.

The purpose, therefore, of the establishment of the Seminary of the Holy Diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar is the better organization of the missionary effort. Among other things, this entails the training of candidate clergy and catechists as well as the theological training of clergy who are already ministering and serving in the diocese.

In order to better achieve the purpose of the seminar, a Supervisory Academic Council was created which consists of the following professors of the Theological School of the N.K.U.A. 1. Deputy Professor Mr. Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, 2. Professor Mr. Emmanuel Karageorgoudis, 3. Professor Ms. Ioanna Stoufi – Poulimenou, 4. Deputy Professor Mr. Christos Karagiannis, 5. Auxiliary Professor Fr, Aristarhos – Vasileios Grekas, 6. Deputy Professor Fr. Athanasios Melissaris, 7. Auxiliary Professor Ms. Ioanna Komninou as well as the director of the seminary Protopr. Antonios Bafaloukos. The role of the Board is to supervise the subject matter, the conduct of the courses and their examinations by the designated lecturers in accordance with the approved syllabus.

The courses that will be taught will be: a. Dogmatics, b. Philosophy, c. Missionary work, d. General Church History, e. Church History of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, f. Introduction and Interpretation of Holy Scripture, g. Liturgics – Psalter, h. Ritual, i. Catechetics, i. Patristics.

Visibly moved by the start of the work and operation of the seminary, His Beatitude congratulated and wished the His Grace Prodromos, Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, that God would grant him strength, enlightenment and patience to carry out this enormous work that has just begun.

Of course, he did not fail to thank all those who support the work of the Holy Diocese.

During the continuation of the program, Patriarch Theodoros performed the inauguration of Holy Monastery of Saint Joseph the Hesychast. The new cells, the refectory, the kitchen were inaugurated; also the blessing of the first candidate nun who received the name Gabrielia.

Also taking place was the inauguration of the hall of the university hospital of Toliara, which has been granted to the Orthodox clinic of the Diocese of Toliara, which is equipped with modern machinery, a mammogram, a CT scanner, an X-ray machine, an ultrasound, which was donated by the Hellenic Air Force to the Holy Diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar following systematic contacts and actions by His Grace Bishop Prodromos.

Today, Sunday, September 11, 2022, during the third day of his missionary and pastoral visit, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with the regional bishop in the new Holy Cathedral of the Diocese, which is dedicated to Saint Silouan the Athonite and Saint Sophronius of Essex. His Beatitude, expressing his joy and paternal love to Bishop Prodromos offered him a set of pectoral crosses and a blessing Cross for the new Cathedral.

His Beatitude Patriarch, addressing the Orthodox believers present, thanked them for their widespread participation in the Mystery of Mysteries, as he then decorated the rulers of the area, expressing in this way his grateful thanks for their support in the work of the local Diocese.

Then His Beatitude, in a climate of deep emotion, performed the memorial service for his blessed predecessor Patriarch Petros and his entourage who died suddenly during the fall of the Chinook helicopter on September 11, 2004 in the Sithonia region of Mount Athos.

After the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude laid the foundation stone for the orphanage of the Diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar. During his speech, the Patriarch referred once again to his hopeful vision for the mission and the diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, saying that the projects that are beginning to be realized are being done based on the love of Christ and the Church for these images of God, the residents of the wider area regardless of religion or any other distinction. And the entire ceremony was concluded by His Beatitude addressing the His Grace Prodromos Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, wishing him good strength and patience in the difficult task that is about to begin, that of erecting the orphanage. His Beatitude also thanked all those present from the bottom of his heart and distributed Patriarchal blessings.