PATRIARCHAL DIVINE LITURGY FOR CHRISTMAS IN CAIRO – HIS BEATITUDE’S MEETING WITH THE PATRIARCH OF THE COPTIC CHURCH
On 25th December 2007, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, together with His Grace Nikodimos of Nitria, Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo and the Clergy of the Egyptian capital, conducted the Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ in the Holy Patriarchal Church of St Nicholas in Cairo .
During this pious service, in the presence of all the Greek and Arabic-speaking Orthodox Christians of Cairo, His Beatitude addressed the representative of the President of Egypt, Mr Hosni Mubarak, as well as the representative of the Ministry of foreign Affairs, and expressed his grateful thanks for the protection and assistance giving to the Patriarchate, mentioning also the Leader of Egypt’s recent trip to Greece. “From the bottom of my heart, I pray that God will grant His Excellency President Mubarak many years for the good of Egypt , Africa and the entire world”.
Immediately thereafter, in the Throne Room of the renovated Patriachal Vicariate in Cairo , His Beatitude received the Primate of the Coptic Church Shenouda III. “I thank you for coming to spend Christmas with us; it is a great honour and joy”, said His Beatitude, greeting the Coptic Church through the person of Pope Shenouda, “a sister church with which we work together for good”.
In his greeting, Pope Shenouda expressed his joy at the common struggle of the Orthodox and Coptic Churches for the prevalence of love and peace in the whole world. The General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches was present.
Also present at the festive celebration on this auspicious day were the Charge d’ Affaires of the Hellenic Embassy in Cairo , Mr. Evangelos Tsaousis, the Consul General of Greece in Cairo Mrs. Aikaterini Ginis, The Chairman of the Hellenic Community of Cairo Mr Christos Kavalis, the Chairman of the Arabic-Speaking Community Mr Robert Hosni, other dignitaries and many people.