Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Popes of Alexandria Meets in Cairo: Exchange Nativity and New Year Greetings

December 2014- January 2015

THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE GOD-MAN IN CAIRO

On the day of the Nativity of the God Man, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa conducted the Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ at the Holy Patriarchal Church of St Nicholas in Cairo, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis, Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, His Grace Chrysostomos Bishop of Berenice, the Exarch of the Church of Russia Fr. Viktor Kulanga and the clergy of the Throne.

The wishes of the Egyptian Government were passed on by officials of the Presidency, the Government, the Military and the Cairo City Administration, whom His Beatitude thanked for their presence and asked them to pass on his prayers to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fatah Al Sisi. Greece was represented by the Honourable Charge d’ Affaires of the Greek Embassy Mr. G. Papadopoulos and the Honourable Consul General of Greece Mrs. L. Komini, the Hellenic Community by the Secretary General Mrs. S. Skoufaridou and the Arabic Speaking Community the Chairman Mr. Robert Hosni. Within the framework of the Eucharistic Gathering His Beatitude honoured Mr. G Zoumboulidis Chairman of the Orthodox Spiritual Centre of Cairo, Mrs. E. Hayiat Member of the Executive Council of the same Patriarchal institution and Mr. M. Grunstein, Councilor of the Hellenic Community of Cairo, for their tireless contribution to the Throne of St Mark.

Following the Eucharistic Gathering, His Beatitude received according to existing custom, the wishes of the Coptic Patriarch Theodoros II. Welcoming the Coptic Primate, His Beatitude expressed emotions of joy for the visit, underscored the mutual efforts of the two Primates for the promotion of stability in the Land of the Nile and ensuring the right of Egyptian Christians to freely worship and invited him to the Inauguration of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St George Old Cairo. On his behalf, the Coptic Patriarch spoke with warm words of the friendly relations between the two Churches and prayed for unity of Christians to soon become tangible reality on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven. In conclusion, commemorative gifts were exchanged.

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