First Orthodox Bishop of Brazzaville Consecrated in Egypt

Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) of All Africa concelebrated the consecration this past Sunday of the newest hierarch of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, Bishop Panteleimon (Arathymos) of Brazzaville. The service, concelebrated by metropolitans of the Church of Alexandria and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Dorotheus II of Tinos, was held in the papal Cathedral of the Annunciation in Alexandria, Egypt. More here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Holy Synod Establishes Dioceses, Elects New Metropolitans, Bishops

The Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church has held its fall session under the chairmanship of Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis). During the session the assembled hierarchs took several decisions concerning the life of the Church in Africa. The Dioceses of Madagascar and Sierra Leone were both designated metropolises, with the latter being renamed the Metropolis of Conakry and Guinea, and the new Diocese of Brazzaville was erected to serve the Orthodox Church in Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon.

To better serve the Church, Metropolitan George (Vladimirou) of Accra was elected Metropolitan of Conakry and Guinea; Bishop Gabriel of Mareotis, patriarchal auxiliary for the Archdiocese of Alexandria, was elected Metropolitan of Leontopolis in northeastern Egypt; Bishop Sabbas of Bujumbura was elected Metropolitan of Accra; Archimandrite Innocent (Byakatonda), an Ugandan Orthodox clergyman serving at Nairobi's Cathedral of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, was elected Bishop of Bujumbura; and Archimandrite Panteleimon (Arathymos), secretary of the Holy Synod, was elected Bishop of Brazzaville.

On the final day of the session the Holy Synod called for an end to religiously-motivated violence. An account of the recent meetings of the Holy Synod can be found here and here.

Orthodox Cemetery Vandalized in Libya

The Alexandrian Orthodox Church in Libya is reporting that the Greek Cemetery in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, has been vandalized. The damage to the cemetery was discovered when Metropolitan Theophylact (Tzoumerkas) of Tripoli visited it to serve an annual memorial commemorating Greeks who died fighting in Libya during World War II. More here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope Visits Congo-Brazzaville

Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church has undertaken a pastoral visit to the Orthodox Church in Congo, where he visited the parish churches of the Ascension, St. Photina, and St. Demetrius in the coastal city of Pointe-Noire, blessed the future site of a clinic being organized in the city, and met with local clergy, laity, and government officials. More in Greek here, here, and here.

In Memoriam: Metropolitan Philemon of Kavason

Metropolitan Philemon of Kavason has fallen asleep in Athens at the age of seventy-seven. Born in central France, the future metropolitan studied theology in Thessalonica before his tonsure as a monk. After his ordination in Greece then Fr. Philemon was received into the Church of Alexandria in 1964, serving parishes in Lower Egypt until his consecration in 1979 as Bishop of Canopus, after which he served as abbot of St. George's Monastery in Old Cairo. In 1999 Bishop Philemon was elected Metropolitan of Dar es Salaam, where he served until his retirement in 2000, after which he was elected titular Metropolitan of Kavason. May Metropolitan Philemon's memory be eternal! More in Greek here.

Son of Kenyan PM Baptized in Nairobi

Fidel Castro Odinga, son of Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has been made a member of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Macarius () of Nairobi. The metropolitan personally served Odinga's baptism and chrismation, giving him the name Macarius. Not long after Odinga's reception into the Church he was married to his Eritrean/Ethiopian fiancee by Metropolitan Macarius in Nairobi's Cathedral of the Holy Unmercenaries. More here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope Visiting Russia

Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to Russia at the invitation of the Russian Orthodox Church. After meeting with Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow prior to the latter's departure for Ukraine the pope will travel to southern Russia to visit the communities of the Russian Orthodox Church in that region. More here.

Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Visits Alexandria

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk, head of external affairs for the Moscow Patriarchate, has paid a brief visit to Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) at the seat of the Alexandria Patriarchate to discuss relations between the Alexandrian and Russian Orthodox Churches. Participating in the discussions were papal auxiliary Bishops Gabriel of Mareotis and Nicodemus of Nitria

Following his time with the Alexandrian Orthodox pope Metropolitan Hilarion remained in Alexandria to visit the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of St. Mark, which enshrines part of the saint's relics. More here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Church Celebrates St. Mark

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has led celebrations of the new style feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, the founder and first hierarch of the Church of Alexandria, on the 24th and 25 of this month. Participating in the festal services at Alexandria's Cathedral of the Annunciation were hierarchs and clergy of the Alexandrian and Cypriot Orthodox Churches as well as representatives of the Greek government and the Greek and Arab Orthodox communities in Egypt. More (in Greek) here.

The Popes of Alexandria of both the Alexandrian and Coptic Orthodox Churches consider themselves successors to St. Mark and incumbents of the Throne of St. Mark, which in recent history held jurisdiction over all Orthodox Christians in Africa until the autocephaly of the Churches of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope Visits Nigeria

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a pastoral visit to the Alexandrian Orthodox Church in Nigeria. The papal delegation traveled first to Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, where it was met by Metropolitans Alexandros (Gianniris) of Lagos and Gregory (Stergiou) of Yaounde, the Greek ambassador to Nigeria, and the Egyptian consul in Lagos.

The day after his arrival in Nigeria Pope Theodoros visited Lagos' Cathedral of the Resurrection, where he concelebrated a thanksgiving with Metropolitan Alexandros and the cathedral's clergy. From the cathedral the papal delegation went to the nearby Monastery of St. Anthony, an outpost of Orthodox monasticism in West Africa and seat of the Nigerian Orthodox Church's seminary.

During his time in Nigeria Pope Theodoros will visit a number of the country's parishes, celebrate his nameday with the consecration of a new church in eastern Nigeria, and lay the cornerstone for the new cathedral in Lagos. More here and (in Greek) here.

In Memoriam: Bishop Peter of Nicopolis

It has been reported that Bishop Petros (Karatroupkos) of Nicopolis, a retired auxiliary of the Alexandria Patriarchate, fell asleep in the Lord on 31 January. Bishop Petros, a native of southern Macedonia, was ordained to the priesthood in 1960, after which he served parishes in southern Macedonia and Canada before being transferred to serve in the Metropolis of Carthage in northwestern Africa. In 2001 Bishop Petros was elected the first Bishop of Lusaka and Zambia, serving in that capacity until his retirement in early 2003. More here. May his memory be eternal!

Pope Theodore Comments on Unity of the Alexandria Patriarchate

As part of remarks at the opening of his ongoing visit to Romania Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria was careful to point out the multiethnic character of the Church of Alexandria and his thankfulness to God for the cooperation of its sister Orthodox Churches in sending clergymen to serve their compatriots in Africa under the jurisdiction of the Alexandria Patriarchate. A full account (in Greek) of Pope Theodoros' comments can be found here.

Pope Theodoros Begins Visit to Romania

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to the Romanian Orthodox Church, being received in the Romanian capital by Patriarch Daniel of Bucharest. The texts (in Romanian) of the first hierarchs' speeches at the reception can be found here.

Pope Theodore Consecrates New Church in Malawi

During his recent pastoral visit to Malawi Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria consecrated the new Church of St. George in Kampodzi near the southern city of Blantyre. Metropolitan Ioakeim of Lusaka and Bishops Ioanis of Maputo and Nikodimos of Nitria concelebrated the services with Pope Theodoros. More (in Greek) here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope, Cretan Orthodox Archbishop Meet on Crete

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to Crete, starting his time on his native island meeting with Archbishop Irinaios (Athanasiadis) of Chersonisos and the Cretan Orthodox Church, which is a self-governing part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and a significant contributor, alongside Cyprus and the rest of Greece, to the missionary work of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church in Africa. More (in Greek) here.

Kinshasa Metropolitan Visits Greece

Metropolitan Nicephorus of Kinshasa of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church has begun a visit to Greece, yesterday celebrating the Divine Liturgy in St. Parasceva's Church in the northern Greek city of Berea. The metropolitan, who is responsible for much of Central Africa, will be in Greece for several days before returning to the DRC. More (in Greek) here.

Orthodox Church Registered in Botswana

The Orthodox Church in Botswana has been recognized by the government of Botswana, allowing for it to expand its pastoral and missionary work in the country under the leadership of its Bishop Gennadios of Gaborone. More (in Greek) here.

Pope Theodore, Archbishop Jerome Meet in Athens

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to Athens, meeting with Archbishop Jerome II (Liapis) of Athens to discuss relations between the Alexandrian and Greek Orthodox Churches and to thank him for all of the support provided by the Church of Greece to the missionary and pastoral work of the Orthodox Church in Africa. More (in Greek) here.

Missionary Priest Assigned to Bunia, DRC

The Alexandrian Orthodox Church is sending a missionary priest, Archimandrite Timothy (Ntumba), to oversee the missionary work of its Diocese of Bujumbura in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo's city of Bunia. More (in Greek) here. Bunia was the site of some of the worst atrocities to have taken place in the eastern provinces of the DRC. More on that here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Cathedral in Libya Vandalized, Looted

The Cathedral of St. George in Tripoli, Libya, seat of the Alexandrian Orthodox Metropolis of Tripoli, was attacked during the night, with its doors being broken down, the holy vessels from the sanctuary and St. George's relics stolen, the interior vandalized, and the Gospels and vestments likewise stolen. The vandalism and thefts were reported to the police, but no action has been taken. More (in Greek) here.