On Friday 25th November 2016, a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy was held for the Feast of St Catherine, on the day of the Birthday of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, at the Holy Church of Ss Athanasios, Nicholas and Fotios at the Dependency of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Ano Kypseli.
His Beatitude conducted the festive Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by Their Eminences Elder Metropolitan Gabriel of Leontopolis, Dimitrios of Irinopolis, Emmanuel of Ptolemaid, Nikodimos of Memphis, Gennadios of Botswana, Theodoros of Heliopolis, Niphon of Pilousion, Meletios of Carthage, and His Grace Panteleimon Bishop of Brazzaville, while present in prayer were Their Eminence Elder Petros of Axum, Ioannis of Zambia and Savvas of Nouvia.
His Beatitude the Patriarch honoured for their ten-year Hierarchy Their Eminences Elder Metropolitan Gabriel of Leontopolis, Theodoros Of Heliopolis and Gennadios of Botswana by awarding them the supreme honour oof the Commander of St Savvas and proclaimed Mrs. Aikaterini Belefanti-Sofianou as Benefactress of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, awarding her the Great Cross of St Savvas the Sanctified in recognition of her contribution to the Patriarchate.
Note that present at the Divine Liturgy were Archon Office Bearers of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Terence Quick and many faithful.
In his address the Alexandrian Primate spoke of the history of the Patriarchal Dependency, as it is the first time that an Alexandrian Primate conducts a Divine Liturgy there, to the martyred Patriarch St Athanasios, the celebrating St Catherine and for the Greeks from Egypt who filled the Church. The Patriarch of Alexandria also warmly thanked Lady Aikaterini Belefanti-Sofianou for her contribution to the construction of the new guest hall emphasizing to her that “you must be proud to be from Egypt, that you are from Cairo, as this will be your most beautiful medal”.
The inauguration of the restored guest hall of the Dependency followed at the end of the Divine Liturgy, which in turn was followed by a reception.
