On Sunday 11 September, His Eminence Archbishop Sergios Metropolitan Bishop of Cape Town officiated at the Service of the Holy Eucharist together with Father Nikolaos Giamouridis and Deacon Father Michael Simos. The Service was followed by a Memorial Service for the late Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, Petros VII. In his address after the Service, His Eminence made reference to the upcoming Feast Day of the veneration of the Cross and that all of us have our own cross to bear in this life. And that and it is a heavy one for everyone – for the Clergy and laity alike and that only through the Cross will we receive salvation.
His Eminence than spoke of the the 12th Memorial Service for the late Patriarch Petros VII saying that he was a very well respected Patriarch and his life ended tragically together with sixteen other Bishops, clergy and laity who were travelling with him. He was a man who was committed to sharing the message of Christ all over Africa and was well known for his vision and hope for Africa, and that there is no doubt that Patriarch Petros is close to God and his saints and continues to pray for his flock.
Referring to the refugee crisis in Greece, His Eminence said that the Greek people are doing their Christian duty by treating them as brothers and doing whatever they can to assist them. He said that as Greeks we have many examples of ”philitimo” - in Ancient Greece Zeus was the God of hospitality and in the old testament Abraham offered the three strangers hospitality who were actually Angels and representative of the Holy Trinity.
He thanked the president of the Hellenic Community Foti Sousalis for taking on the task of overseeing the repairs to the Cathedral which has a history of one hundred and sixteen years, and urged everyone to support the committee in this difficult and expensive task and said that whatever amount we donate, however small we will be rewarded more than one hundred times over.
His Eminence ended by mentioning Mr Jimmy Kapoutsis who was holding a memorial Service for his late parents who died in Greece and thanked him for his support and contribution to the Hellenic Community of Cape Town.