Missionary visit of Pope and Patriarch Theodor II to Holy Metropolis of Irinopolis in Tanzania

His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa is paying a missionary visit tto Tanzania and Burundi from 15th to 27th February 2013.

His Beatitude arrived in Dar-es-Salaam, the capital of Tanzania and first stop of his pastoral journey, on the morning of 15th February 2013, accompanied by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Meletios Koumanis, Hegumen of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas in Alexandria. His Beatitude was welcomed at the international airport by Their Eminences the Metropolitans Dimitrios of Irinopolis and Ieronymos of Mwanza, the Honorary Consul of Greece in Tanzania Mr. Konstantinos Ferentinos, the Diplomatic Attachés of Egypt Mr. Ibrahim Hamza Ibrahim and of Russia Mrs. Anna Kryukova, the Chairman of the Pan-Tanzanian Hellenic Union Mr. Dimitrios Mantheakis, together with the Deputy Chairman Mr Michael Mavrokefalos, state officials and clergy from Tanzania and the Seychelles.

In the afternoon of the same day he went to the Metropolitan Church of St Paraskeve, where he was officially welcomed by His Eminence Dimitrios Metropolitan of Irinopolis, clergy of the local Church and crowds of faithful, not only Hellenes and Natives, but also many Slav Orthodox Christians who live and work in Tanzania.

Immediately thereafter a Doxology was sung, attended by His Eminence Ieronymos, Metropolitan of Mwanza and His Excellency the Ambassador of Russia Mr. Alexander A. Rannikh, and prior to the end of which the local Metropolitan Dimitrios addressed His Beatitude, saying among other things that the presence of His Beatitude the Patriarch in Tanzania is a message of hope, love, courage and blessing both for the Greeks and the other traditionally Orthodox nations which for more than one hundred years have struggled and excelled, but also for the natives who with zeal are daily enrolled into the Orthodox Family of the Alexandrian Church.

In his reply, His Beatitude the Patriarch mentioned that it is the second time that he comes to bless the blessed people of the Holy Metropolis of Irinopolis as Primate of African Orthodoxy, and emotionally remembered that seventeen years ago he first visited Tanzania escorting the late Patriarch Parthenios III.

Immediately following the Doxology and with deep emotion a Trisagion was sung for the sudden repose of Archimandrite Isidoros Salakas, Great Ecclesiarch of the Alexandrian Throne.

In the evening of the same day His Beatitude and his entourage attended the reception hosted in his honour by His Excellency the Ambassador of Russia Mr. Alexander A. Rannikh at the Ambassadorial Residence, with the participation of all diplomatic representatives of the African countries in Tanzania, His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See, other high ranking officials of the Country and distinguished Greeks.

Source: patriarchateofalexandria.com