On Monday, November 27, at noon, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa arrived in Central Africa, in the city of Bujumbura in the Republic of Burundi, accompanied by Metropolitan Daniel of Axum.
He was welcomed by Metropolitan Innocent of Burundi and Rwanda, Bishop Silvestros of Gintza and Eastern Uganda, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Yasser Elatawi, Consul of the Egyptian Embassy Mark Hani, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country Aimable, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye, Consul of Greece Mr. Georgios Koukoulis, the President of the Greek Community Mr. Alkis Makos, the Patriarchal Commissars of Goma Archim. Timotheos and Bounia Archim. Polycarp, as well as the Holy Clergy of the Metropolis with the Hierarchical Vicar Fr. Vassilios Bonane at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport.
The Patriarch expressed his joy for his second visit to Burundi after his election. The previous missionary visit took place in 2013, during the enthronement ceremony of Archbishop Innocent. It should be noted that the Holy Diocese of Burundi and Rwanda was established through a Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos on October 6, 2009, while this year it is five years since November 26, 2018, when it was elevated to the status of Holy Metropolis.
Metropolitan Innocentios, on behalf of all the clergy and laity present, thanked the Patriarch for the paternal love that surrounds the missionary Metropolis of Burundi and Rwanda and wished him a blessed stay.
The Ambassador of Egypt, Elatawi, expressed the joy of the Patriarch’s arrival in Burundi as well as the wishes of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
