Patriarch of Alexandria honoured Saint Cyril Lucaris in Nicosia, celebrated Liturgy in Geri
On Friday, 27 June 2025, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa presided over the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Church of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified in Nicosia, the seat of the Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Cyprus.
The Divine Liturgy commemorated the holy memory of Saint Cyril Lucaris, Patriarch of Constantinople, who, prior to his patriarchate in Constantinople, served as Patriarch of Alexandria under the name Cyril III.
At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the faithful reverently welcomed a relic of Saint Cyril Lucaris, graciously gifted by the Agarathos Monastery in Crete, now preserved as a treasured spiritual relic in the Church of Saint Sabbas. The Patriarch extolled the saint’s martyrdom and luminous character, highlighting his profound theological insight, steadfast Orthodox faith, sound discernment, and inspired theological teachings.
The Eucharistic synaxis was attended by the Commander of the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK), Cretan soldiers serving in the island’s National Guard, and the Great Archon Dikaiophylax of the Church of Alexandria, Konstantinos Tsiridis, a lawyer from Limassol.
On Saturday, 28 June 2025, the Patriarch presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Nektarios in Geri, attended by a large congregation, including Cypriot brethren who had returned from South Africa, thus maintaining an unbreakable bond with the ancient Patriarchate. Concelebrating with him were Bishops Panaretos of Nyeri and Nikodimos of Nitria, Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Cyprus, as well as Neophytos Papalazarou, Deputy Mayor of Geri and Latsia.
In a deeply moving address, the Patriarch warmly expressed his gratitude to His Beatitude Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus and the Holy Synod for their love, unwavering support, and steadfast unity with the Second Throne Church.
Reflecting on his recent missionary journey through Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan, he shared vivid experiences and testimonies with the congregation, emphasising that Orthodoxy possesses the transformative power to heal lives—even in the most “wounded” regions of Africa, afflicted by human cruelty and transient political agendas. To conclude the service, he gifted the church with two exceptional and spiritually significant icons: the Panagia Kykkotissa and Saint Seraphim of Sarov.
