MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION SENT BY PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY IN THEIR MEETING

The voices for the reconciliation of the peoples were joined yesterday by Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, during their meeting in the Patriarchal Vicariate in Cairo.

Citing the words of the Archbishop of the Anglican Church, the Primate of the African Orthodox Church pointed out that “the division of churches and people is a luxury.

So, from the second seat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Cairo, we preach together with the Archbishop the reconciliation of the peoples,” said Patriarch Theodore warmly welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury.

He continued: “We are a small neighborhood where we all have the right to live under the Sun of Justice. We unite our voice today for the immigrants, the refugees, the people who have nowhere to lay their heads and say ‘Christ is in the midst of us’ to give us peace and love.”

On his part, the Anglican Archbishop sent his own message, expressing his joy for the reception at the Patriarchate of Alexandria: “I wish the friendship between our churches to develop further and the love to become more and more true.

May the Father of us all continue to support the church for world peace. I think we have to defend ourselves with peace and not with weapons.”

It was the first time that the Archbishop of the Anglican Church was received by Patriarch Theodore.

Patriarch Theodore offered the Anglican religious leader the symbol of the Church of Alexandria, a book with the history of the first seat of the Church of Alexandria and his personal cane as a symbolic gift.

“Many Patriarchs have visited the Anglican Church,” said Patriarch Theodore.

“Photios, Meletios, Parthenios came to England in joint conferences with the Anglican Church, which he thanked for donating medicines to those in need in Africa and its general contribution to the missionary work of the Orthodox Church.

Africa, the other important common element of the two churches, which, as the Anglican Archbishop said, “is a continent full of life and faith but also full of wars and its people suffer from these problems.”

“Anglicans and Orthodox are fighting as Churches to overcome the suffering of the African people,” said the Anglican Archbishop. He added, “Our common element is our love to serve man.”

It should be noted that referring to Egypt, Patriarch Theodore expressed his joy for the support enjoyed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate from the Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The Patriarch of Alexandria received the Anglican Archbishop in the presence of the Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Athens, Metropolitan Georgios of Guinea, the Patriarchal Vicar for the Arab-speaking faithful, Metropolitan Nikos of Ermoupolis (Tanta), the Abbot of the Patriarcha Monastery of Saint George in old Cairo, Fr. Damaskinos, the Grand Ecclesiarch of the Alexandrian Church, Fr. Stephanos, and Fr. Elpidophoros.

The Anglican Archbishop was accompanied by Anglican Bishops in Egypt.

It should be noted that the Archbishop of Canterbury was shown around the historic Church of St. Nicholas in Hamzawi, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Egyptian capital built in the 11th century AD, and expressed his admiration for the architectural tradition and legacy of the Alexandrian Church.

Finally, the Patriarch of Alexandria invited the Archbishop of the Anglican Church to visit the seat of the Patriarchate in Alexandria.

Source: ANA-MPA

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