THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY IN THE GREAT CITY OF ALEXANDRIA

A message of unity and love which will go to all the churches, was given on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, by His Beatitude Theodoros II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.

Speaking from the Community Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria, in the presence of the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Mr. Athanasios Kotsionis, the Chairman of the Hellenic Community Mr. Edmond Kasimatis and many representatives of societies and communities, the Alexandrian Primate called all those present, immediately after the ceremony of the restoration of the sacred icons, to travel in mind from the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt, to the Queen of Cities, Constantinople, as he said.

“Let us greet tonight the Most Holy Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, the father of Orthodoxy and Modern Greece, who today has with him as concelebrant, the National Leader Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus”, said the Primate of the Second Throne Patriarchate. He then concluded by saying: “We greet them and that from their sacred stole and the Holy Altar of Greece and Orthodoxy, love will come to all the Churches, so that “with one mouth and one heart” we may glorify our Lord and God”.

At the same time, Patriarch Theodoros expressed ‘His courage and hope in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greece, which is being tested these days by the waves of immigrants.’ Referring to the issue, Patriarch Theodoros said that “we love all these people and we know that Greece was always the mother of charity, poverty and love. She opens her arms, but at the same time defends her borders, because – as Father Cosmas and Theodoros Kolokotronis would have said – they were set by God himself…”.

Referring to the issue of coronavirus, the Patriarch of Alexandria said that ‘we are praying for all who are tested by the scourge of the virus that came to show people how weak we are’. In fact, Patriarch Theodoros said characteristically that “in the Old Testament we read of the punishment of the Pharaohs, the seven plagues of the Pharaohs. And yet, the past of the Old Testament has become the present, with the virus testing the strengths of the people who are locked up in their homes, where no one dares to greet one another, in times of misery when we should be living with love”.

In conclusion, the Alexandrian Patriarch, supported by the Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, Metropolitan Narcissus of Naucratis and Bishop Germanos of Tamiathus and the holy clergy, today did the memorial of the late Benefactors and Donors of the Hellenic Community of Alexandria who, “from where they are now, are proud of their efforts, as “they have left”, but their works remain”, because ‘what we do for ourselves dies, while what we do for others, our country, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, the world as a whole, will remain for eternity. May God grant them rest. And our gratitude, must always be with them…”, concluded Patriarch Theodoros.

Present at the service of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in Alexandria, together with the Consul General of Greece and the Chairman of the Community, bearing icons, were the Chairlady of the Brotherhood of Cypriots in Egypt Mrs. Maro Formozi, the Chairman of the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce of Alexandria Mr. Byron Vafeiades, the Chairlady of the Lyceum of Greek Women of Alexandria Alice Antoniou, the Chairlady of the Society of Hellenic Scientists of Alexandria “Ptolemy I” Mrs. Lilika Thlivitou and many people.