Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Alexandria and all Africa (Ancient Greek:
Πατριαρχεῖον Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ πάσης Ἀφρικῆς, Alexandria and all Africa
romanized: Patriarcheîon Alexandreías kaì pásēs
Aphrikês, lit. 'The Patriarchate of Alexandria and
all Africa'), also known as the Greek Orthodox
Church of Alexandria, is an autocephalous
patriarchate that is part of the Eastern Orthodox
Church. Its seat is in Alexandria and it has
canonical responsibility for the entire African
continent.

It is commonly called the Greek or Eastern

Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to
distinguish it from the Coptic Orthodox
Patriarchate of Alexandria. Members of the Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate were once referred to as Seal
"Melkites" by non-Chalcedonian Christians
Classification Eastern Orthodox
because they remained in communion with the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople after Orientation Greek Orthodoxy
the schism that followed the Council of Scripture Septuagint, New Testament
Chalcedon in 451. Mark the Evangelist is
Theology Eastern Orthodox theology
considered the founder of the See, and the
Patriarchate's emblem is the Lion of Saint Mark. Polity Episcopal polity
Primate Patriarch Theodore II of
The head bishop of the Patriarchate of Alexandria
Alexandria
is the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all
Africa, currently Theodore II of Alexandria. His Language Greek, Arabic, English, French,
full title is "His Most Divine Beatitude the Pope Portuguese, Swahili, Yoruba and
and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria, many other African languages
Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, all the land of Egypt,
Headquarters Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt
and all Africa, Father of Fathers, Shepherd of
Shepherds, Prelate of Prelates, thirteenth of the Territory Africa
Apostles, and Judge of the Œcumene". Like the Possessions None
Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and the
Founder The Apostle and Evangelist Mark
Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, he claims
to have succeeded the Apostle Mark the Independence Apostolic Era
Evangelist in the office of Bishop of Alexandria, Recognition Orthodox
who founded the church in the 1st century, and
therefore marked the beginning of Christianity in Members 500,000 - 1.5 millions[1][2][3][4][5]
Africa. It is one of the five ancient patriarchates of Official website www.patriarchateofalexandria.com
the early church, called the Pentarchy. The seat of (http://www.patriarchateofalexandr
ia.com//index.php?lang=en)
the patriarchate is the Cathedral of the Annunciation, also known as the Cathedral of Evangelismos, in
Alexandria.

History
The history of the Patriarchate of
Alexandria includes some of the greatest
and most renowned fathers of the
Church, especially the histories of
Athanasius and Cyril, who were
patriarchs of Alexandria at the
ecumenical councils of Nicaea and
Ephesus respectively. In the schism that
was created by the political and
Christological controversies at the
Council of Chalcedon in 451, the
Church of Alexandria split in two. The
majority of the native (i.e., Coptic)
population did not accede to the Council
of Chalcedon, adhering instead to the Cathedral of Evangelismos,
Miaphysite Christology of the Oriental Alexandria
Orthodox communion, and became
Patriarch Mark III with a black known as the Coptic Orthodox Church.
African attendant A small portion of the Church of Alexandria followed Chalcedonian
Christology, and this is called the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria,
since it used Greek as its liturgical language. These Greek Chalcedonian
believers were loyal to the Eastern Roman Emperor and in communion with the Patriarchs in Rome,
Antioch, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. A healthy correspondence of Eulogius of Alexandria with
Gregory the Great of Rome is evident from the fourteen books of Gregory's letters called the Registrum.[6]
After the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century – which permanently separated the region from the
Byzantine Empire – the Greek Chalcedonians became an isolated minority in the region, even among
Christians, and the church has remained small for centuries. These Alexandrian Christians remained in
ecclesiastical communion with the Patriarch of Constantinople, who likewise recorded their names and also
the Pope of Rome in his diptychs. During the Crusades, they also gave no hint of schism with Rome, since
the Greek Patriarch of Alexandria administered holy communion to Latin merchants and prisoners and
allowed Latin priests to use their own ritual books. Patriarch Nicholas I ordained a priest for the Latin rite
and sent a representative to the Fourth Lateran Council. The first recorded sign of schism was the Bishop of
Rome's appointing a titular Latin Patriarch of Alexandria in 1310.[7]

Diaspora growth in the 19th century

In the 19th century Orthodoxy in Africa began to grow again. One thing that changed this in the 19th
century was the Orthodox diaspora. People from Greece, Syria and Lebanon, in particular, went to different
parts of Africa, and some established Orthodox Churches. Many Greeks also settled in Alexandria from the
1840s and Orthodoxy began to flourish there again, and schools and printing presses were established.

For a while there was some confusion, especially outside Egypt. As happened in other places, Orthodox
immigrants would establish an ethnic "community", which would try to provide a church, school, sporting
and cultural associations. They would try to get a priest for the community in the place they had emigrated
from, and there was some confusion about which bishops were responsible for these priests.
Eventually, in the 1920s it was agreed that all Orthodox churches in Africa would be under the jurisdiction
of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and so Africa has managed to avoid the jurisdictional confusion that has
prevailed in places like America and Australia.

Mission growth in the 20th century

In Africa south of the Sahara most of the growth in Christianity began as a result of mission initiatives by
Western Christians; Roman Catholic, Protestant and especially in the 20th century adherents to Western-
origin Christian bodies that do not fit into this old dichotomy. These Western-initiated churches were,
however, very often tied to Western culture. The Greek missions to African outposts followed Greek-
speaking settlers, as with the missions to America and Australia, and still provide cultural links to Greece
and the Greek patriarchy in Egypt.

African-initiated churches interested in the various forms of

Orthodoxy, but finding it difficult to make contact with historic
Orthodoxy in the parts of Africa where they lived, sought further
afield. In the 1920s some of them made contact with the so-called
African Orthodox Church in the USA (not a part of the canonical
community of Eastern Orthodox Churches), notably Daniel
William Alexander in South Africa, and Ruben Spartas Mukasa in
Uganda.
Saint George Church in Cairo
In the 1930s, Daniel William Alexander visited first Uganda, and
later Kenya. Spartas, however, also made contact with Fr
Nikodemos Sarikas, a missionary priest in Tanganyika, and through
him made contact with the Greek Patriarch of Alexandria. In 1946 the African Orthodox groups in Kenya
and Uganda were received into the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria.

In the 1950s, however, the Orthodox Church in Kenya suffered severe oppression at the hands of the
British colonial authorities during the Mau Mau Uprising. Most of the clergy were put in concentration
camps, and churches and schools were closed. Only the Cathedral in Nairobi (which had a largely Greek
membership) remained open. Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus preached an anti-colonialist sermon at the
cathedral on his way home from exile, and this led to friendship between him and the leader of the anti-
colonial struggle in Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta.

After Kenya became independent in 1963 the situation eased, and the Greek-speaking Church of Cyprus
helped to get the presence of the Greek Orthodox Church in Kenya once more, building a seminary and
sending missionary teachers.

Late 20th-early 21st century

In recent years, a considerable missionary effort was enacted by Pope Petros VII. During his seven years as
patriarch (1997–2004), he worked tirelessly to spread the Orthodox Christian faith in Arab nations and
throughout Africa, raising up native clergy and encouraging the use of local languages in the liturgical life
of the church. Particularly sensitive to the nature of Christian expansion into Muslim countries, he worked
to promote mutual understanding and respect between Orthodox Christians and Muslims. He also worked
to improve ecumenical relations with the Coptic Orthodox Church, signing a joint declaration allowing
intermarriage and setting the stage for improved relations between the two ancient patriarchates. His efforts
were ended as the result of a helicopter crash on September 11, 2004, in the Aegean Sea near Greece,
killing him and several other clergy, including Bishop Nectarios of Madagascar, another bishop with a
profound missionary vision. The metropolitans and bishops of this expanding church remain
overwhelmingly of Greek or Cypriot origin.

Today, some 300,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians constitute the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Egypt, the
highest number since the Roman Empire. The current primate of the Greek Church of Alexandria is
Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa.

2019 schism with Moscow

On 27 December 2019 the Russian Orthodox Church officially cut ties with the Eastern Orthodox
Patriarchate in Alexandria over the latter's recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, whose
autocephaly is rejected by the Moscow-based church. This was done after Theodore II announced support
for the Church of Ukraine.[8] The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that it remains in
communion with clerics of the Alexandria church who reject Theodore II's decision.

Offikialoi of the Throne

The institution of the Offikialoi has its roots in the Hierarchy of the Byzantine Empire and primarily came
into the ecclesiastical world around the 9th century, beginning with the Ecumenical patriarchate in
Constantinople, where the offices existed hierarchically in three pentads. There are ecclesiastical offices, for
both the clergy and lay people. However, the offices for lay people acquired greater validity and
dissemination during the Ottoman period whence they were gradually disseminated to the other ancient
Patriarchates of the East.

The offices are awarded by "patriarchal esteem and intention" as a recompense to the Patriarchate of
Alexandria and all Africa, while in earlier years they were connected to particular positions within the
patriarchal court and the administrative mechanism of the Patriarchate, which over the years slackened.

Administrative structures and hierarchy

Patriarch
Patriarch Theodore II (Choreftakis), Pope and Patriarch of the Holy Archdiocese of
Alexandria in Egypt, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.

Archbishops (Metropolitans)
Metropolitan Narcissus (Gammo) of the Holy Archdiocese of Accra with jurisdiction over
Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Mali
Metropolitan Peter (Giakoumelos) of the Holy Archdiocese of Axum, seated in Addis Ababa
with jurisdiction over the Horn of Africa
Metropolitan Gennadius (Stantzios) of the Holy Archdiocese of Botswana
Metropolitan Pantaleon (Arathymos) of the Holy Archdiocese of Brazzaville and Gabon, with
jurisdiction over the Congo and Gabon
Metropolitan Gregory (Stergiou) of the Holy Archdiocese of Cameroon with jurisdiction over
Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and
Príncipe
Metropolitan Meletius (Koumanis) of the Holy Archdiocese of Carthage,
seated in Tunis with jurisdiction over Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, and
Tunisia
Metropolitan Demetrius (Zacharengas) of the Holy Archdiocese of Dar es
Salaam with jurisdiction over eastern Tanzania and the Seychelles
Metropolitan Sergius (Kykkotis) of the Holy Archdiocese of Good Hope,
seated in Cape Town with jurisdiction over the South African provinces of
the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State
as well as Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland
Metropolitan Nicholas (Antoniou) of the Holy Archdiocese of Hermopolis,
seated in Tanta with jurisdiction over the Arabic-speaking Orthodox
Christians of Egypt
Metropolitan Damascene (Papandreou) of the Holy Archdiocese of
Johannesburg and Pretoria with jurisdiction over northeastern South
Africa
Metropolitan Jonah (Lwanga) of the Holy Archdiocese of Kampala with Cross of St
jurisdiction over Uganda Mark. Honorary
religious medal
Metropolitan Meletius (Kamiloudis) of the Holy Archdiocese of Katanga,
of the
seated in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Patriarchate
Metropolitan Nicephorus (Konstantinou) of the Holy Archdiocese of
Kinshasa with jurisdiction over the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Metropolitan Gabriel (Raftopoulos) of the Holy
Archdiocese of Leontopolis, seated in Ismailia with
jurisdiction over northeastern Egypt
Metropolitan Ignatius (Sennis) of the Holy Archdiocese of
Madagascar with jurisdiction over Madagascar, the
Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, and Réunion
Metropolitan Nicodemus (Priangelos) of the Holy
Archdiocese of Memphis, seated in Heliopolis
Metropolitan Jerome (Muzeeyi) of the Holy Archdiocese
of Mwanza, seated in Bukoba with jurisdiction over
western Tanzania
Metropolitan Macarius (Telyridis) of the Holy Dioceses and Archdioceses of the
Archdiocese of Nairobi with jurisdiction over Kenya Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Metropolitan Alexander (Gianniris) of the Holy and of All Africa
Archdiocese of Nigeria with jurisdiction over Nigeria,
Niger, Benin and Togo.
Metropolitan Savvas (Cheimonetos) of the Holy Archdiocese of Nubia, seated in Khartoum
with jurisdiction over Sudan and South Sudan
Metropolitan Nephon (Tsavaris) of the Holy Archdiocese of Pelusium, seated in Port Said
Metropolitan Emmanuel (Kagias) of the Holy Archdiocese of Ptolemais, seated in Minya with
jurisdiction over Upper Egypt
Metropolitan Theophylact (Tzoumerkas) of the Holy Archdiocese of Tripoli with jurisdiction
over Libya
Metropolitan Yohanis (Ιιοανις)(Tsaftaridis) of the Holy Archdiocese of Zambia, Mozambique
and Malawi, seated in Lusaka
Metropolitan Seraphim (Iakovou) of the Holy Archdiocese of Zimbabwe and Angola, seated
in Harare
Metropolitan Innocentius (Byakatonda) of the Holy Archdiocese of Burundi and Rwanda
Bishops
Bishop Chrysostome (Karagounis) of the Holy Diocese of Mozambique
Bishop Neophytos (Kongai) of the Holy Diocese of Nyeri and Mount Kenya
Bishop Athanasius (Akunda) of the Holy Diocese of Kisumu and Western
Kenya(Posthumously)
Bishop Agathonicus (Nikolaidis) of the Holy Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania
Bishop Silvestros (Kisitu) of the Holy Diocese of (Gulu) and eastern Uganda

Greek Orthodox Churches in Egypt

List of Greek Orthodox Churches in Egypt[9]

St. Constantine and St. Helena Church – Cairo

St. Spyridon Church – Helwan
Patriarchal Monastery of St. George – Old Cairo
St. Nicholas Church - Heliopolis
Church of the Archangels - Al-Zahir
Our Lady of El Nayah Church – Alexandria
St. Anthony the Great Shatby – Alexandria
The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Church – Mansheya, Alexandria
Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas of the Blessed Virgin of Alexandria[10]
Church of the Entry of Christ into the Temple – Tanta
St. George Church – Tanta[11]
Saint Nicholas Church – Mansoura
Saint Nicholas Church – Port Said
St. Nicholas Church – Old Patriarchate, Damietta
The Most Holy Theotokos Church - Heliopolis

See also
List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Alexandria
Greek Orthodox Church
Greeks in Egypt
Syro-Lebanese in Egypt

References
1. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa (https://www.oikoumene.org/en/me
mber-churches/greek-orthodox-patriarchate-of-alexandria-and-all-africa)
2. "President Lauds Orthodox faith on 100 Years | Uganda Media Centre" (https://mediacentre.
go.ug/media/president-lauds-orthodox-faith-100-years).
3. "Kenya: A Fruitful Land" (https://orthodoxmission.org.gr/2019/12/kenya-a-fruitful-land/). 4
December 2019.
4. "Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa - Construction - Stavros Niarchos
Foundation" (https://www.snf.org/en/grants/grantees/g/greek-orthodox-patriarchate-of-alexan
dria-and-all-africa-(1)/construction-(1)/).
 5. "Ορθόδοξη Διασπορά και Ιεραποστολή στην Αφρική" (http://www.ortodossia.it/w/index.php?o
ption=com_content&view=article&id=552:2014-0307-10-18-53&catid=155&Itemid=334&lan
g=el).
6. The Letters of Gregory the Great Translated and Introduction nand Notes by John R.C.
Martyn. 3 vols. (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 2004) q.v. 1.24; 5.41; 6.61;
7.5, 31, 37; 8.28, 28; 9.176; 10.14, 21; 12.16; 13.42, 43
7. Steven Runciman. The Eastern Schism. (Oxford, 1955). p. 99-100.
8. Isachenkov, Vladimir (December 27, 2019). "Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with
Alexandria patriarch" (https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2019/12/russian-orthodox-churc
h-cuts-ties-with-alexandria-patriarch/). Crux Now. Associated Press. Retrieved
December 27, 2019.
9. www.goac-pa-eg.com http://www.goac-pa-eg.com/bg6.htm (http://www.goac-pa-eg.com/bg6.
htm). Retrieved 2021-11-06. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
10. "Πατριαρχική Μονή Οσίου Σάββα" (https://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php/el/m
onastery-of-saint-savvas). patriarchateofalexandria.com (in Greek). Retrieved 2021-11-06.
11. www.goac-pa-eg.com http://www.goac-pa-eg.com/bg6j.htm (http://www.goac-pa-eg.com/bg6
j.htm). Retrieved 2021-11-06. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

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Dick, Iganatios (2004). Melkites: Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholics of the Patriarchates of
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External links
The Patriarchate of Alexandria (http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/) (Official Site)
Archdiocese of Lagos (http://www.orthodoxnigeria.org/) (Official Site)
Archdiocese of Mwanza (http://www.orthodoxytz.com/) Archived (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20110202093954/http://orthodoxytz.com/) 2011-02-02 at the Wayback Machine (Official
Site)
Uganda Orthodox Church (https://www.ugandaorthodoxchurch.co.ug/) (Official Site)
Orthodox Church of Kenya (https://orthodox-church-kenya.org/) (Official Site)
Orthodox Church in Tanzania (http://orthodoxytz.com/) (Official Site)
Orthodox Archbishopric of Good Hope, Cape Town (http://www.goarch.co.za/) Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20140802054218/http://www.goarch.co.za/) 2014-08-02 at the
Wayback Machine (Official Site)
Website of the Arabic-speaking Alexandrian Orthodox Christians of Egypt (http://www.goac-p
a-eg.com/)
CNEWA Profile of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church by Ronald Roberson (https://cnewa.org/
eastern-christian-churches/toc/orthodox-church/the-autocephalous-churches/the-patriarchat
e-of-alexandria/)

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