On August 1, 2024, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa was warmly received at the city headquarters by the new Governor of Alexandria, Ahmed Khalet. The Patriarch was accompanied by Metropolitan Narcissus of Pelusium, the Patriarchal Commissioner of Alexandria.
The Governor conveyed the warm wishes and respect of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and assured the Alexandrian Primate of their excellent future cooperation. In response, Patriarch Theodore II expressed his gratitude to the Egyptian President and wished the Governor a fruitful tenure focused on the promotion of Alexandria, the illustrious Great City.
Patriarch Theodore II also expressed his satisfaction with the tripartite cooperation between Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, highlighting the mutual benefits for the peoples of the Mediterranean region. “Greeks, Cypriots, and Egyptians join hands, and our friendship is strengthened by the waters of the Mediterranean,” the Patriarch noted. “Egypt has been a strong, hospitable, progressive, and prosperous country since the Pharaonic and Biblical times. It is a beautiful, blessed, and above all safe country, which we love and consider our second homeland,” he concluded.
The Governor presented the emblem of the Great City to Patriarch Theodore II, describing him as a “prominent and beloved fellow citizen.” He thanked the Patriarch for his contributions to Egypt and the world, and extended warm wishes to the Greek community in Alexandria.
A special moment of the visit occurred when the Patriarch learned that the Governor’s wife shares their common birthplace, the island of Crete, which deeply moved him.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas