Greek and African Orthodox Christians of Malawi enthusiastically welcomed His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa on 12th October 2011 at the Blantyre Airport; HB is on his first pastoral trip to Malawi as Primate of the Second Throne Church.
At the airport His Beatitude, accompanied by His Grace Nikodimos, Bishop of Nitria and Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo and the Press Officer Mr Nicholas Katsikas, was welcomed by His Eminence Ioakeim of Zambia and Malawi, His Grace Ioannis Bishop of Mozambique, together with many members of the Hellenic Community of Malawi. Among them was the Honorary Consul of Cyprus in Malawi Mr Michael Michael, the Chairman of the Hellenic Community of Malawi Mr Nicholas Yiannakis, and the Chairman of the Hellenic Schools of Malawi, Mr Ioannis Nicolaou.
Immediately following his arrival was the official Doxology in the beautiful church of St Nektarios in Blantyre. Addressing the congregation His beatitude spoke of the kindness and nobility of the Greek Community since the time when he served there as Metropolitan of Zimbabwe, as well as of their warm and generous hospitality and thanked all for the warm welcome of the “few but select”, as he said, of the 150 Greeks who have remained in the city.
The Alexandrian Primate warmly congratulated His Eminence Ioakeim, Metropolitan of Zambia and Malawi, on the significant work which he done in Malawi, this country which is small in size but enormous in importance.
He also spoke about St Nektarios as it is to his name that the church in the city is dedicated and which will be inaugurated next Sunday, 16th October 2011.
The city of Blantyre in Malawi has 8 orthodox churches, a translation centre and printing press office for the translation and publication of ecclesiastical books into the local dialect (Chichewa), 5 nursery schools, a clinic, doctor’s rooms, 5 libraries and, under present construction, a new high school which should be completed within a few months.
