On March 3, 2023, the visit of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine to the Patriarchate of Alexandria began.
At the invitation of His Holiness the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II, the Primate of the OCU arrived in Cairo (Egypt). His Beatitude Bishop is accompanied by the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar, Deputy Head of the Department of External Church Relations, Metropolitan Yevstratiy of Bila Tserkva, Archpriest Vasyl Lilo and Protodeacons Vasyl Didora and Andriy Sydor, the press service of the OCU reports.
At the Cairo Airport, the leader of the OCU and his delegation were met by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Egypt Mr. Mykola Nahornyi and his staff. On behalf of the Patriarch of Alexandria, the guests from Ukraine were welcomed by Metropolitan George of Guinea, the representative of the Patriarchate in Athens, and Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis, Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo.
“Your Beatitude, it is a great joy to receive you on the land of Egypt, blessed by the feet of the Savior and the Mother of God! On behalf of our Patriarch Theodore, we warmly welcome you and all the guests. We know about the suffering of the Ukrainian people, we sympathize with you in this difficult time of war. On the holy day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, we will unite around the Eucharist, we will pray for the end of the war and the suffering of Ukrainians from its consequences,” said Metropolitan George.
“We sincerely thank His Holiness the Pope and Patriarch Theodore for the invitation, we also thank you, Bishops, for the warm meeting and good wishes,” Metropolitan Epifaniy said in response. “We feel the prayer and support of Patriarch Theodore and your Holy Church.”
Over the next few days, the delegation of the OCU, led by its Primate, will visit the important shrines of Cairo and Alexandria, and on Sunday, March 5, a solemn Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the Cathedral of the Annunciation, which will be presided over by Patriarch Theodore and Metropolitan Epifaniy.
