The representatives of SAE South Africa gave His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa a very warm welcome on 16th may 2008.
In passing on the greetings of the Co-ordinator of SAE Africa-Asia Mr Harry Gouvelis who is in Canada as the Vice President of SAE for a six-month period, Member Mr. Basil Magdalinos welcomed the Alexandrian Primate.The SAE representative expressed his gratitude to His Beatitude who ceaselessly particiaptes in the work of SAE since its inception, and to this day supports the significant institute of Hellenes abroad.The missionary and Apostolic Church of St Mark is always beside the Hellenes living abroad, who distinguish themselves by their love for the Church, their homeland and who have “filotimo” said the Patriarch when thanking all for their very warm welcome.
Present at this meeting were the High Commissioner for Cyprus Mr Argyros Antoniou, the Consul General of Greece in Johannesburg Mr. Panayiotis Sarris, the former Chairman of the Hellenic Communities of South Africa Mr Panayiotis Manikas, other representatives of Hellenic Communities and many new representatives of SAE Africa.
A moving speech was given by the representative of the youth of SAE South Africa, 24year old Dimitri Vafiades, who said that: “on behalf of Mr Harry Gouvelis who is in Canada, the members of the Co-ordinating Committee of SAE and the youth, we assure you Your Beatitude that we will always be with you, united, supporting your work with all our strength, and all working for the good of Hellenism and Orthodoxy”.Finally, Mr Vafiades said: ” SAE Africa thanks you for all that you have done, for your work in Africa and we are proud of our spiritual leader”.
