Click the button 3. At that time, the Monastery fell within the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, but the Patriarch of Jerusalem had also put forward a claim to have rights over it. The Arab conquerors were filled with a terrible hate of the Greek Orthodox as a result of the defeats their armies had suffered in Asia at the hands of the Byzantines. In the desert places of their spiritual exercise, the monks studied not only the Scriptures but also the writings of the great Teachers and Fathers of Alexandria. We are a team of individuals who believe we are all indebted and accountable to both our actions and inactions. , . On Saturday evening, the Order of Saint Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, honored His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, with the Athenagoras Human Rights Award. Cyrus, Patriarch of Alexandria at the time of the conquest, tried on various pretexts to make peace with the Arab conquerors to such an extent that he extent that hewas misunderstood by tte Byzantine Emperor and severely reprimanded. In view of the difficult position in which he found himself, Cyrus also strove to bridge the gap between the Greeks and the Egyptian Christians. Christianity made its way to Alexandria at a very early date, via the Jews of the Diaspora. arab.org empowers every person & organization to do Good by offering community information, expertise and new opportunities to connect, collaborate, and campaign. Nor should we omit to mention that even in the very early days Christianity spread to Yemen, Ethiopia and Nubia thanks to the missionary activities of the Church of Alexandria. In their writings, the teachers of the School went still further, and a mystical tendency came to prevail. The Church fathers Athanasios and Cyril fought for the preservation of Orthodox faith at the Councils of Nicea, 325, and Ephesus, 431. In Egypt itself the number of Orthodox faithful is steadily diminishing. Become a heroe! 66 (with the same content) and no. All the monks lived under the instructions of Antony the Great, not in coenobitic foundations but each one alone, striving to find his own way to spiritual perfection. The local population of Egypt, on the other hand, does not seem to have been very enthusiastic about the new message that had just arrived in the land of the Pharaohs, or to have played a particularly significant role in the administration and organization of the first Christian community in Egypt. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, also simply known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa (Greek: , Patriarcheon Alexandreas ka pss Aphriks) is an autocephalous Byzantine Rite jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church, having the African continent as its canonical territory. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The next two Patriarchs, Nikolaos VI (1968-1986) and Parthenios (1987-1996) strove successfully to adapt to the new conditions in which the 'Patriarchate sought to increase its prestige. When the Capital of the country was moved to Cairo, the seat of the Patriarchate shifted there too, for a while, perhaps so that the Popes would be safer. In other words, the Church was administered in a more, centralised manner than was common elsewhere. Egypt was the place where monasticism was first set on its true foundations, spreading from there to Sinai, Palestine, Syria and many countries of the East and West. New churches were founded and built. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. He was tonsured a monk on 14/2/1994 by the late Metropolitan Iakovos (Gkinis) of Nicaea. Theophilos' first steps were to found a Greek Community in Egypt, a Greek School and a hospital. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is the second ranking Orthodox See (after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople). Patriarch Ioakeim intervened effectively in the case of Maxim the Greek, recently canonised, who had been imprisoned in Russia. Having been called back to the Ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria by the late Patriarch Nicholas VI, he became Patriarchal Exarch of the Throne in Russia, based in Odessa between 1985-1990, where he established the Hellenic Cultural Institution and the Philikis Eterias Museum. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much, which had believed through grace. Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and All Africa speaks to TNH - The Mark the Evangelist (43-68) The Archons presented the 2022 Athenagoras Human Rights Award to Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa From this point on, everything originating among the Egyptian population bears the stamp of the Coptic culture, and a separate Christian community, with its own liturgicaltypikon,its own art and Coptic as its language came into being. In the following year, once more in collaboration with Tositsas and the members of the Community, Ierotheos resolved to found a Community church, of the Annunciation. According to the account of Eusebius, "As Severus unleashed a persecution against the churches, glorious was the witness borne to devotion by the athletes of the spirit in every place, and this was abundant in Alexandria, the athletes of God, being sent there as to a huge stadium from Egypt and the whole Thebaid, through their most patient endurance of a variety of tortures and manners of death put on crowns given by God Severus entered the tenth year of his reign and Laetus was in command of Alexandria and the rest of Egypt; Demetrius, afier Julian, took up afresh the bishopric of the Christian communities. The last hall of the first floor has been specially designed to house the manuscript codices of the Library. Since 1996, SNF has committed more than $3.5 billion through over 5,300 grants in 134 countries around the world. In conclusion, in the Patriarchal Chapel of Ss Theodoroi, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa officiated in the ceremony of the Great Message during which the newly-elected Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis and Metropolitan Narkissos of Nubia presented their Great Message before His Beatitude and the Holy Synod. Tsiridis Foteini, Member of Parliament and Lawyer, Archontissa Lawkeeper, Copyright 2023 Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Head: Patriarch Theodoros II (born 1954, elected 2004) Title: Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. 59), lives of Saints (i.e. . The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is the second ranking Orthodox See (after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople). Its primate is the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, the successor to the Apostle Mark the Evangelist, who founded the Church of Alexandria in the 1st century. followed a course of its own dictated by the political system of the time. Stay up to date with the latest news from MENA civil society. It contains more than forty thousands (40.000) books, out of which three thousands (3.000) are dated between 1460 and 1800. The Sacristy will provide space to preserve and display 150 items of historical interest and significant ecclesiastical heirlooms.The Church of Alexandria was founded by the Apostle Mark the Evangelist in the 1st century. Moreover the collection contains manuscripts with tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides (i.e. With the foundation of educational and cultural institutions in view of the rapid increase in the number of Greeks in Egypt and with the presence of great benefactors such as Georgios Averof, the Greek community in Egypt and the Patriarchate experienced a period of splendour and prestige. At the same time he was Secretary for Arabic issues at the Chief Secretariat of the Patriarchate, Preacher and in charge of the catechetical work of the Arabic speaking parishes in Alexandria. New metropolitan bishoprics were set up throughout the Dark Continent, and official recognition was granted to the African Orthodox communities. The spiritual regeneration reached completion during the 20th century. 02julAll DayInternational Day of Cooperatives. The year 1930 Nicolaos Phirippidis was officially appointed Librarian and he worked very hard for the Librarys organization until 1942. When the Turks took Egypt in 1517, a new era dawned for the Christians. 193) and many others. However, we know more about the situation towards the end of that century, when the greater part of the Greeks of Alexandria had already embraced Christianity andthe new religion had gained supporters not only in the city itself, but also\outside it, in the surrounding countryside. Find out how weve been enabling to change the world with just a click since 2017. He holds a degree from the Theological faculty of the Universtiy of Athens (1988-1992), where he also completed post-graduate studies in Dogmatic History (1992-1994). Upload media. 491) which is of the 5th century with big letters. BOSTON - His Beatitude Theodoros Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, second-ranked after the Ecumenical Patriarch, had luck Continue reading Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and All Africa speaks to TNH 34), which is dated back to the middle 10th century. The tombs of the martyrs and heroes were the sources of the glory and prestige of, the Church of the Alexandrines. The Patriarchate of Alexandria extends its ecclesiastical jurisdiction to all the countries of the African continent. Home - For all the efforts made by the Greeks to assimilate the Egyptians, this did not prove possible, and an internal rift developed. Theophilus mediation in settling the dispute between the two men was so successful that after this time the Patriarch was awarded the title of 'Judge of the World'. As a result, the Church of Alexandria was able to concentrate its powers on improving its level of organisation and preparation for handling serious problems connected with the faith itself. This site has been made possible by a grant from Leadership 100. alexandria was a city of capital importance as a civil . The Church is governed by the Patriarch in conjunction with the Synod. Saint Mark arrived to Alexandria in 43 AD, the year which is counted for the foundation year of the Alexandrian Church. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa Among the Patriarchs of Alexandria who practiced medicine, we know of Cosmos I, Polities, Hutchies, Cyril II and Nicholas II. Contents 1 History 2 The Church today 3 The Episcopacy 3.1 The Holy Synod At about this time, a serious problem arose over the Sinai Monastery and occupied a central position in Ioakeim's concerns; he had been a monk there himself in his youth, and loved the place so much that even as Patriarch he spent long periods in its tranquility. This move did much to consolidate the Patriarchate's missionary activities abroad. Pantaenus, in addition to his many achievements, ending his, days in Alexandria, was in charge of the school, through his living voice and his writings interpreting the treasures of the divine teachings". Origen gave the work of the School fresh impetus and inaugurated a period in which it enjoyed great prestige, thanks to his success in putting it on more systematic and lasting foundations. Official Documents | Terms of Use | Copyright Sources. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria . Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa - Arab The Patriarchate or Alexandria was in such dire financial straits at this time that the Patriarch turned to Russia for assistance. In its hospitals, the Patriarchate of Alexandria set up infirmaries to care for the poor and sick. Canon VI of the First Ecumenical Council was quite explicit about this:"Let tke ancient customs be kept up in Egypt and Libya and Pentapolis, so that the Bishop of Alexandria 'has power over all these, since it is customary in the case of the Bishop in Rome, and likewise at Antioch and in the other provinces for the privileges to be preserved by the churches.". A course that started with its Enlightener, the Apostle and Evangelist Mark and continues ceaselessly till today maintaining unadulterated the Apostolic trust, sacred tradition unchanged and keeping the integrity of the sacrificial spirit of the sacred figures that graced this Patriarchal Throne. After the time of St John the Merciful (sixth century), many the Patriarchs were physicians who helped the unprotected Christians of Egypt in their hardships. 43 AD not as a conqueror, but bearing the Gospel of Christ. Holy Synod of The Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa no. Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church based in Africa; one of the original Churches of the Pentarchy. Instance of. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Many leading, figures in the society of Alexandria suffered terribly, including Origen's father Leonidas, who was martyred for his Christian beliefs. Rawafed Association for Social Development. Russia Establishes Exarchate in Africa, Deepening Orthodox Schism The Orthodox Observer places the Church in the context of the current world we live in through a diverse and informative experience offering participants meaningful exchange with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, her ministries, and affiliates. MISSION Neither Ioakeim nor his successors had any alternative other than to look to the Tsars of Russia for aid. With Peter were martyred the presbyters Faustus, Dios and Ammanius and the Bishops, Hesychius, Pachomius and Theodore. In the third century, the Church ofAlexandria became Mother Church of all the churches in Egypt and Africa, with its Bishop as their Great Shepherd. Alexandria, Egypt. The Patriarchs of Alexandria in the years to come often had to deal with problems and upheavals. Through wooden staircase visitors ascend to the first floor, where, in communication with three halls of rolling bookshelves, there are two spacious, comfortable and modern reading halls. It was at this time that Origen, the great teacher and sage, met a martyr's death in prison at Tyre. After the Arabic conquest the Patriarchal Throne remained vacant without an orthodox Patriarch (642-727) and many books and codices were destroyed or lost. Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church - Wikipedia no. Omissions? Tsiridis Konstantinou, Lawyer, Grand Archon Dikaofilax The history of the church can be divided into the following periods: from its foundation to the First Ecumenical Council in 325; from 325 to the Arab conquest of Egypt in 642; from 642 to 1517 when Egypt came under the sway of the Ottoman Turks; from the Turkish conquest to the liberation of Greece from the Turkish yoke in 1821; from 1821 to the present day. Mark 42-68 Anianus (68-82) Avilius (82-98) Kedron (96-106) Primus (110-121) Justus (121-131) Eumenis (131-144) Mark II (144-154) Keladion (154-167) Agripinos (167-179) Julian (179-189) Demetrius (189-232) Heraklas (232-247) Dionysios (248-265) Byzantine military successes in the area inevitably led to the punishment by the Arabs or their Christian subjects in Egypt. The space will be reconfigured into a Sacristy that conforms to contemporary museum standards. The poverty that continued to afflict the Patriarchate obliged them to address themselves to Great and Orthodox Russia, which always willingly succoured and supported the Patriarchate. History - The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, as it is also known, is the continuation of the Melchite, or imperial, church of Egyptmostly Greeks living in Egyptthat accepted the definition of the two natures of Christ proposed at the Council of Chalcedon (451 ad; see Melchite). At this -time of course, the School and the Hospital were both supported by the Community and the Patriarchate. Patriarch of Alexandria at the Greek community of Dar es Salaam The full announcement of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa follows: In the name of the Triune God, we gathered in the Great City of Alexandria at the invitation of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa and with feelings of responsibility towards its flock and its centuries old . 13, 36, 62), Mikhail Psellos (i.e. These tasks are today in progress. For a while Pantaenus' assistants included Clement, who became famous for his profound learning and the systematic way in which he directed the School. In its hospitals, the Patriarchate of Alexandria set up infirmaries to care for the poor and sick. Church history Holy Mysteries View of salvation View of Mary View of icons Background Organization Autocephalous jurisdictions Autocephalous Churches who are officially part of the communion: Constantinople Alexandria Antioch Jerusalem Russia Serbia Romania Bulgaria Georgia Cyprus Greece Poland Albania Czech Lands and Slovakia North Macedonia So we decided to do something about it. In the end, loakeim gave way and the Monastery was transferred to the jurisdiction of Jerusalem. Find various references & citations in the media about arab.org as well press resources including a media kit for anyone interested in writing about arab.org. After the Turkish conquest of Egypt in 1517 the Greek Orthodox patriarchs were forced temporarily to seek refuge in Constantinople. Many projects were carried out, and particular care was taken over missionary activities abroad, on new foundations. Terms of use and privacy. When advancing age overtook him, he abdicated from, the Tatriarchal Throne and retired to the Koutloumousiou Monastery on Mt. There is no evidence as to whether Egyptians occupied an important position in the first Christian community of Alexandria, given that Egyptian names do not begin to appear in the lists of bishops until the late second century. Phone: 774-230-6985 | Email Us, Missions Institute Of Orthodox Christianity, Missions/Evangelism in the Local Parish in America, "The Patriarchate of Alexandria down the Centuries". The Church now had to devise ways of dealing with the heretical efforts of the Gnostics, who were proving to be a serious internal obstacle for the development and consolidation of Christianity. In terms of ecclesiastical status regarding the Orthodox Patriarchs, the Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa is the second in hierarchy, after the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and holds the historical title His Divine Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria, Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, All Egypt and All Africa, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Prelate of Prelates, the Thirteenth of the Apostles and Judge of the Universe. Archons Present 2022 Athenagoras Human Rights Award to Patriarch Help ensure equality, empowerment, & end discrimination again women & girls with a click. Meletios Pegas of Crete (1590-1601) was among the most notable and outstanding Patriarchs of Alexandria during this period. A school was founded inwhat was then known as Abyssinia. Finally it should be underlined that many manuscripts bear magnificent multicolored miniatures of exquisite Byzantine art, sophisticatedly decorated and richly colored titles, subtitles and initial letters. Under the Arab rule (641-1250) and the Mamluk administration (1250-1517) the Patriarchate experienced difficulties on the one hand due to the Orthodox flocks shrinkage, and on the other hand due to paucity of resources. Attend community events & join civil society activities for the Arab World. Ioakeim had the courage to write to Tsar Ivan the Terrible and to plead for Maxim's release.. His letter included the following extract: "For that reason, we pray Your Majesty to release Maxim, monk of Mt. Since 23 August 2005 he has been performing his duties as patriarchal Vicar of Cairo. Little by little the Patriarchate of Alexandria began to lose its strength. A course that started with its Enlightener, the Apostle and Evangelist Mark and continues ceaselessly till today maintaining unadulterated the Apostolic trust, sacred tradition unchanged and keeping the integrity of the sacrificial spirit of the sacred figures that . Because of its geographical position, the city of Alexandria also became a city which linked ancient Egyptian civilization with that of Greece and Rome and, then with that of the Jews, to emerge as, a renowned capital which was a place of meeting and cross-influence among the main spiritual and intellectual trends of the time. Decision of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa Its seat is in Alexandria and it has canonical responsibility for the entire African continent. However the Librarian that laid the foundations so as the Library to become known to the entire scientific world was Theodoros Moschonas, who fully reorganized the Library and promote its treasures, organizing or participating to international congresses. The present Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa is His Beatitude THEDOROS II. , . Lost your password? Copyright 2022The Olive Tree SAL, all rights reserved. Both Lucaris and Kritopoulos were veat lovers of books and manuscripts, and many of the items in the collections of books and manuscripts that today' adorn 'the Patriarchal Library were acquired by these two Patriarchs. Also elevated was the district of Heliopolis to an active Metropolis in the person of His Eminence Theodoros, Metropolitan of Heliopolis, Most Honoured and Exarch of Middle Egypt. The Orthodox Christian Faith proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and the tradition and life of the living Church worldwide through worship, communion, witness, and service. These cookies help provide a more personalized experience for you, both on this website & through other media. 65 (Holy Liturgies of Saint John Chrysostom and Basils the Great), no. The year 1947 the library was housed in a private building at the district of Ibrahimiya and the year 1971 was permanently transferred to the ex Tositsas School, where today the Throne is also housed. It could be said that the Patriarchal Library of Alexandria has its roots at the beginning of our era and it possibly constitutes an extension of the famous, rich ancient Library of Alexandria. Under thetypikonof the Church of Alexandria, it became customary to bless the waters of the River Nile after Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers prior to Pentecost. The entire period of Arab rule was also a prolonged torment for the Christians of Egypt. The Tsars and the Patriarchs of Moscow always responded positively to the pleas of the Patriarchs of Alexandria. Despite this rift, the Church of Alexandria kept much of its prestige and splendour, with its magnificent churches, its monasteries, its schools and the beauty of its liturgical forms. Curriculum Vitae of His Eminence Metropolitan Narkissos of Nubia. was Matthaios the Cantor, who was born on the island of Andros (1746-1765). 87 of the 13th century with comments by Theodoros Metochitis), rare manuscripts, as the no. 17/03/2008 On Monday 17th March 2008, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, visited the Holy Monasteries of Mahairas and St Eraklidius. Christianity made its way to Alexandria at a very early date, via the Jews of the Diaspora, who had long had a flourishing community in the area. In his time, the Patriarchate supervised ten metropolitan provinces, 90 churches 5 monasteries and 107 parish priests. Persecution ceased. One of his first achievements was the publication of the Regulations of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, on 15 May 1930. As we have already seen, the establishment of the Catechetical School of Alexandria did much to help in dealing with the various heresies. Web: http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/, 8 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075 Worship helped the faithful and enhanced theirdevotion in the magnificent churches which, in the meantime, had begun to be constructed. Athos, whichhe renovated before his death. Certain individuals and institutions are presented for reference purposes only and may not be under the supervision or jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. The Patriarchate of Alexandria Down the Centuries He was free to move from place to place to visit his flock, and he civil authorities did not have the right to obstruct him. At Mahairas His Beatitude was met by the Hegumen, His Eminence Metropolitan Epiphanios . At this time, the number of Christian Orthodox believers was approximately 300,000, but by the end of Arab rule it had declined to a mere 100,000. During the first two centuries of the Christian era, Alexandria was spared many of the fearful persecutions experienced by other churches in the Roman Empire. We believe in mutual collaboration and as such, our model is to partner with those who are both experts and credible in their respective fields. no. Apart from his profound theological wisdom, Cyril also proved, to be an excellent administrator. Category:Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria - Wikimedia Commons Before the Session, a Divine Liturgy was conducted in the Patriarchal Chapel of Ss Theodoroi. The celebration acquired a festive character and great splendor was bestowed by the participation to the event of many intellectual personalities representing historical universities or libraries, like the Libraries of the Vatican, the Escorial and the Congress or the London and the Paris Libraries. Origen was succeeded by Heracles (231-247), later Bishop of Alexandria, and among the names of other distinguished teachers of the Catechetical School of Alexandria were those of Dionysius, Theognostus, Pierius, Peter, Didymus the Blind and Rhodon. During the first centuries of the Christian era, the Patriarchate of Alexandria played a decisive role regarding the crystallization of Christian teachings fundamental principles and Christianitys worldwide diffusion. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa - SNF . Septimius Severus visited Alexandria in 202 and issued a special edict forbidding conversion to Judaism and, subsequently, to Christianity as a result precisely,of the active and effective work being carried out by the Catechetical School of Alexandria.