His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa was welcomed on the morning of 10th February 2009, to the sound of the bells ringing, by the pupils and students of the Educational Institutes of the Holy Metropolis of Kenya, in Nairobi, singing and chanting in Greek.
His Beatitude spoke emotionally about the work of the Patriarchal Academy of Kenya, “Makarios III” which this year celebrates its 28th anniversary and which has 55 seminarians. He also spoke of the Educational Academy with its 400 students and the Primary School “Clement of Alexandria” which has 150 pupils.
“You have given strength and joy with your visit to our pupils and students”, emphasized Metropolitan Makarios of Kenya, in welcoming the Alexandrian Primate.
His Beatitude replied, saying: “The heart of Africa beats here”, when he addressed the hundreds of young people, emphasizing that they are the future of the African continent.
His Beatitude congratulated the local Metropolitan Makarios, for his work and disclosed that he would be making an official visit to Kenya in May, during which he himself would award the certificates to the graduating students.
It should be noted that up until today, around 5000 students have graduated from the above-named educational institutes, many of whom have staffed schools and church communities throughout the African continent. In the Holy Metropolis of Kenya alone, more than three hundred priests are serving, and the country has the largest number of African Orthodox out of all the other African countries, numbering around one million faithful.
His Beatitude departed last night from Nairobi for the Cameroon , where he begins today a journey which will last until the 24th February 2009.
