On Sunday 24 July, His Eminence, Archbishop Makarios (Tillyrides) Metropolitan of Kenya, who was visiting Cape Town to attend a conference at the University of Stellenbosch, officiated together with Protopresbyter Fr. Nikolaos Giamouridis, parish priest of Cape Town and Deacon Michael Simos.
Amongst those present were Mr Johnny Philippou, Honorary Consul of Cyprus in Cape Town, Mr Foti Sousalis, president of the Hellenic Community of Cape Town and Environs and Mr Nassos Martalas, a past president of the Hellenic Community of Cape Town.
After the Service Mr Philippou, addressed the congregation and his son Dimitri also read out a summary of the status of the illegal occupation of Cyprus as it stands today.
Father Nikolaos officially welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Makarios on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Sergios of good Hope Metropolitan Bishop of Cape Town.
He said it was a great privilege for us to have him officiate at our Church and for our Community to meet him. He also made reference to the positive influence that the Orthodox Church has had in Kenya and surrounds and invited him to address the congregation.
His Eminence said that this was his first visit to Cape Town although he has spent the past forty years of his life in Africa. He said that he is thankful to God for giving him the opportunity to be of Service to Him in Africa where there is such a great need and that when he first arrived in Kenya there were only a handful of locals who were interested in the Orthodox Church. And presently there are one million active members of the Orthodox Church.
They have a seminary for priests, pre-schools, junior and high schools and orphanages for children who have lost their parents either through illness or wars. They also have clinics with medical staff who donate their time. On closing His Eminence said that all human beings regardless of race or culture, no matter what they believe in have a “soul” and that his greatest joy is witnessing the second generation of children who have been baptised into the Orthodox Church in Kenya.
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