Patriarch of Alexandria visits Republic of Burundi

On Monday, 27 November 2023, at noon, His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa arrived in Central Africa, in the city of Bujumbura, in the Republic of Burundi, and was accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel of Axum.

His Beatitude was welcomed by His Eminence Metropolitan Innocent of Burundi and Rwanda, His Grace Bishop Silvestros of Gintza and Eastern Uganda, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Yasser Elatawi, Consul of the Egyptian Embassy, Mr. Mark Hani, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country Aimable, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, Consul of Greece Mr. Georgios Koukoulis, the President of the Greek Community Mr. Alkis Makos, the Patriarchal Vicars of Goma, Archimandrite Timotheos, and of Bounia Archimandrite Polycarpos, as well as the Holy Clergy of the Metropolis along with the Hierarchical Vicar Fr. Vassilios Bonane, at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport.

The Patriarch expressed his joy for his second visit to Burundi after his election. The previous missionary visit took place in 2013, during the enthronement ceremony of Metropolitan Innocent. It should be noted that the Holy Diocese of Burundi and Rwanda was established through a Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos on October 6, 2009, while this year it is five years since November 26, 2018, when it was elevated to the status of Holy Metropolis.

Metropolitan Innocentios, on behalf of all the clergy and laity present, thanked the Patriarch for the paternal love that surrounds the missionary Metropolis of Burundi and Rwanda and wished him a blessed stay.

The Ambassador of Egypt, Mr. Yasser Elatawi, expressed the joy of the Patriarch’s arrival in Burundi as well as the wishes of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Source: orthodoxtimes.com