News

GREEK AMBASSADOR TO LIBYA VISITS THE PATRIARCH

On Thursday 9th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, received the Greek Ambassador to Libya in his office at the Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas, Mrs Chrysanthe Panagiotopoulou.

His Beatitude and the Ambassador discussed various issues regarding the Greeks in. Libya. The Ambassador then visited the Patriarchal Palace which is under reconstruction.

MEMORIAL FOR PATRIARCH PETROS VII

On Sunday 12th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, conducted the nine-month memorial of the late Patriarch Petros VII and his entourage at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified.

The sermon at the Divine Liturgy was preached by the Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Gennadios Stantzios. He referred to Patriarch Petros and his work and then discussed the Sunday of the 318 Holy God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.

THE BROTHERS OF THE LATE PATRIARCH PETROS VII VISIT PATRIARCH THEODOROS II

On Tuesday 14th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, received in his office at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, the brothers of the late Patriarch Petros.

His Beatitude expressed his love and respect for the late Patriarch Petros and assured them that he will always be close to the family of his predecessor.

Referring to Patriarch Petros he said that, apart from re-organizing the Church of Alexandria during the seven years of his tenure as Patriarch, he was also a man of love who supported the Hellenes of the African Continent. He also said that his missionary work is universally known, and therefore his memory will be eternal.

LUNCH WITH THE GREEK TEACHERS

On Thursday 16th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, hosted a lunch for the teachers of the Hellenic Schools of Alexandria, at the Club of the Hellenic Community of Alexandria.

His Beatitude gave New Testaments to the teachers and wished them a happy summer.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THE COMPLETION OF FIFTEEN YEARS AS A HIERARCH

On Friday 17th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, conducted the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified, on the occasion of his having completed fifteen years as a Hierarch. Refreshments were then served in the Great Hall of the Monastery.

A PUPIL VISITS THE PATRIARCH

On Friday 17th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, was visited in his office at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified by Dimitris Androulakis-Tsintonis who received the first prize for general performance from the Averofion High School-Lyceum in Alexandria, and gave over the monetary amount he had received as an award to His Beatitude for the poor children of Africa.

His Beatitude congratulated Dimitri for this act as well as for receiving the first prize, wished him a happy summer and good progress in his further studies.

THE PATRIARCH IN CAIRO

On Saturday 18th June 2005, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, travelled to Cairo accompanied by the Great Ecclesiarch of the Patriarchate Archimandrite Spyridon Myliotis.

His Beatitude immediately went to the hospital to visit Archimandrite Cleopas Kalogyrou of the Cairo Trusteeship and held talks with the doctors regarding his treatment.

He then went on to the Patriarchal Offices in Hamzawi and oversaw the renovation works of the Church and the buildings which are being paid for by the Greek Parliament. The Primate of the Alexandrian Throne then went to the Holy Church of St Spyridon in Helouan. He inspected the newly renovated Church and appointed Archimandrite Isidoros Salakos as Dean of the Church to conduct the Divine Liturgy there every Friday.

On Sunday 19th June 2005, the Alexandrian Primate conducted the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Heliopolis, together with His Eminence Nikolaos of Ermoupolis, His Grace Emmanuel Bishop of Babylon (Old Cairo), the clergy of Cairo and the exarch of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Archimandrite Leonid Gorbachof.

Later that day, His Beatitude, together with the Greek Ambassador in Cairo, Mr Panayiotis Vlassopoulos, inspected the imposing building of the Patriarchate in Heliopolis. In the near future the Hellenic - Egyptian Tourist School will be housed there, as was agreed during the visit to Egypt of the Minister of Tourism of Greece, Mr D Avramopoulos.

At noon, His Beatitude attended a lunch hosted by the Church Committee of the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Heliopolis. He spoke to the youth and promised them that he would always be close to them.

In the evening, His Beatitude, accompanied by His Grace the Bishop of Babylon (Old Cairo) inspected in detail the entire Patriarchal setup of the Holy Monastery of St George Old Cairo, which is need of extensive renovation due to the erosion it has undergone from the waters of the Nile which have risen even to the height of the groundfloor residences of the Monastery.

On Monday morning 20th June 2005, His Beatitude conducted a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of the "Flight into Egypt", in the cemetery, attended by many pilgrims from Greece and Cyprus, as well as the benefactress of the Church Lady Ariadne Psillos with her son Dimitrios, to whom His Beatitude expressed the gratitude of the Church of Alexandria for all that they contribute to the Church of Christ.

His Beatitude then conducted the Trisagion Service at the tombs of Patriarchs Parthenios and Petros of Blessed Memory.

The Patriarch then went to Soubra where he inspected the renovation works of the Holy Church of the Holy Unmercenaries. The renovations are being paid for by the Leventis family of Nigeria.

He later held talks with the Director of the Patriarchal Spiritual Centre of Cairo, Mr Apollon Vlahos, regarding issues of the Spiritual Centre.

During his stay in Cairo, His Beatitude to meet with many of the faithful and to help them solve issues affecting them, at the Holy Church of St George. He prayed that the Most Holy Spirit will accompany them throughout their lives.