Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria arrived in Belgrade

His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, paying an official (irenic) visit to His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch and the Serbian Orthodox Church, arrived in Belgrade last night, on 22 September 2017.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros and the delegation of the Church of Alexandria was welcomed at the Belgrade airport Nikola Tesla by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, with His Eminence Porfirije Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana and Their Graces Bishops: Irinej of Backa, Justin of Zica, Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla and Milutin of Valjevo. At the airport there were also present ambassadors of Greece and Egypt to Belgrade, Mr. Elias Eliadis and Mr. Ezzeldin Fahmy Mahmoud Fahmy.

The delegation of the Primate of the Church of Alexandria consists of: Their Em inences Metropolitans George of Guinea and Niphont of Pelousion, as well as the Secretary of the Synod, Very Venerable Archimandrite Daniel.

According to the program, the central event of the visit will be the triumphant Divine Liturgy which the two Patriarchs and Hierarchs of two Churches will officiate on Sunday, September 24, 2017.

Together with the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, the Hierarchs, the priesthood and the monastics, the God-loving Serbian people will show hospitality to the dear guests in the most important Serbian shrines, monasteries: Krusedol, Hopovo, Zica, Studenica, Sopocani, Patriarchate of Pec, Visoki Decani, the city of Nis, as well as in the Ravanica monastery.

The Primates of the two Churches will meet with the leading figures of the state and social life of Serbia.

During the visit, the Heads of the two Churches, with members of their delegations, will conduct official talks concerning the current issues and problems that both Churches face, as well as Orthodoxy and Christianity as a whole, among which the causes and consequences of unprecedented suffering and exodus of Christian people, especially in the Middle East and on the African continent.

Official or irenic visits, this ancient and unbroken tradition of the Orthodox Church, are an opportunity to reaffirm the unity of the Orthodox Church accomplished in the Head of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God the Father, that is, that unity be renewed by the common celebration of the Holy Liturgy. At the same time, irenic visits represent a confirmation of a living and authentic community of Orthodox peoples. Brotherly cooperation, mutual support and bond of love between the two sister Churches, their two Primates and Orthodox peoples are certainly an integral part and fruit of this visit.