His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa went to Cairo for the Holy Days of the Nativity, to officiate at the spiritual and Liturgical celebrations as is Patriarchal custom.
On the Eve of the Great Feast, after the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude received the Scouts of Cairo at the Patriarchal Offices, where they sang traditional carols. They also had a surprise for the Alexandrian Primate, giving him a scouts jacket bearing the symbols of the centenary anniversary of scouting and asked of their Patriarch to place them under his auspices and to bless the events which will take place in 2013. His Beatitude gave the scouts the Emblem of the Patriarchate as a memento of this day, and it was received by the District Commissioner Alekos Kazamias.
His Beatitude then went on to visit the Old Age Home of the Hellenic Community of Cairo, where he was welcomed by the Deputy Chairman of the HCC Mr. Klimis Flevotomas, as well as the Members of the Executive Council.
Immediately following the prayers sung in the Holy Church of St Panteleimon, His Beatitude visited the elderly and gave them cakes. He asked all present to stand by them and to give whatever they could.
He then went to see the patients in the adjacent Hellenic Hospital where he exchanged good wishes with the patients as well as with those in the Arab Orthodox Old Age Home in Heliopolis in Cairo.
On the day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Alexandrian Primate conducted the Divine Liturgy of the Nativity in the Holy Patriarchal Church of St Nicholas in Cairo, together with His Grace Nikodimos Bishop of Nitria and Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo and His Grace Niphon Bishop of Babylonia, Hegumen of the Holy Monastery of St George in Old Cairo, the Exarch of the Church of Russia the Very Reverend Archimandrite Leonid Gorbacev and clergy of the Throne.
The wishes of the Egyptian Government were passed on by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the District of Cairo, whom His Beatitude thanked for their presence and wished them success and prosperity for all the people of Egypt.
Greece was represented by His Excellency the Ambassador Mr. Chrisotodoulos Lazaris, Cyprus by the Honorable Consul General Mr. Fotis Fotiou, the Hellenic Community by its Chairman Mr. Christos Kavalis and the Arab Orthodox Community by its Chairman Mr. Robert Hosni.
