Washington, DC Welcomes Patriarch Theodoros II For Last Leg of Apostolic Visit to US – From the Archdiocese – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Washington, DC Welcomes Patriarch Theodoros II For Final Leg of Apostolic Go to to US

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria visited the St. Sophia Cathedral in Washington DC for a doxology and welcome luncheon attended by a variety of civic, diplomatic, and inter-Orthodox, ecumenical and interfaith leaders. 

“We thank You, Your Beatitude, for bringing the sunshine of the inimitable Pharos of Alexandria to our Shores. Along with the beacon of the Phanar, the Orthodox world — and certainly, all the oikoumene — will likely be illuminated for the widespread good of all mankind,” stated Archbishop Elpidophoros. 

“Too many Orthodox Church buildings have forgotten that our Kingdom just isn’t of this world, and we should not scale back Autocephaly to mere nationalistic, or within the case of Russia, imperialistic pursuits,”  The Archbishop stated. “Your Beatitude has the angle of a whole Continent that’s as numerous as it’s huge. Orthodoxy wants Your imaginative and prescient for a return to the values of the Gospel above all different issues. For whereas Your sights are set throughout a continent, Your gaze is certainly one of love for all of God’s youngsters.” (Learn His Eminence’s full welcome remarks.)

Amongst these in attendance had been His Grace Bishop Saba (Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church in North America), His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon accompanied by Rev. Alessandro Margheritino (Orthodox Church in America), Rev. John El Massih (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America), V. Rev. Protopresbyter Vasilije Vranic (Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America), His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian (Armenian Apostolic Church) and His Grace Bishop Pater (Coptic Orthodox Church) , Monsignor John Paul Pedrera and Monsignor Luca Caveada (Apostolic Nunciature within the USA), Rev. Charles A. Cortinovis (representing H.E. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington), Rev. Walter Kedjierski (representing H.E. Archbishop José Gomez, president of the US Convention of Catholic Bishops), Dr. John Borelli (Georgetown College), V. Rev. Mark Morozowich (Catholic College of America), Mr. Kyle Cristofalo (Christians for Center East Peace), Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith (World Council of Church buildings North America, President), Rev. Margaret Rose (The Episcopal Church & Religions for Peace Worldwide), Imam Saffet Catovic (Islamic Society of North America), and Dr. Kathryn M. Lohre (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). 

Their Excellencies Ambassador of Greece Alexandra Papadopoulou; Ambassador of Cyprus Marios Lysiotis; Ambassador Samuel Brownback; and Ambassador At-Giant for Worldwide Spiritual Freedom Rashad Hussain additionally attended, Ms Kateryna Smagliy (Embassy of Ukraine), Mr. Raad Elfawair (Embassy of Jordan), Mrs. Georgia Athanasopulos (Common Consul of Panama), and Ms. Melissa Rogers (Govt Director of the White Home Workplace of Religion-Primarily based and Neighborhood Partnership). 

Following the luncheon, His Beatitude, along with Archbishop Elpidophoros, attended a gathering with senior officers on the White Home, later joined by President Joe Biden, and afterward met with Ambassador Rashad Hussain on the State Division. (Learn the complete Ress Launch.) That night, His Beatitude was obtained on the residence of the Ambassador of Greece by Her Excellency Alexandra Papadopoulou. Their Excellencies Ambassador of Egypt Motaz Zahran and Ambassador of Cyprus Marios Lysiotis had been additionally current.

The subsequent morning, His Beatitude visited Georgetown’s Copley Crypt, the place he was welcomed by Father David Pratt, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Endowed Orthodox Chaplain, and the College’s Orthodox Christian college students. In recent times, Copley Crypt has served as a sacred house for Orthodox college students on the Jesuit faculty, particularly after the donation of an Orthodox iconostasis and icons by Archon Michael Psaros in 2019.

Patriarch Theodoros inspired college students to work onerous of their research— as a result of “humanity is anticipating lots from you”— and, hearkening again to the traditional mental legacy of Alexandria, the Patriarch famous a brand new conservation challenge on the Patriarchate’s Library of Alexandria, which goals to protect the manuscripts in its assortment for students reminiscent of themselves. Earlier than parting for the airport, His Beatitude promised that he would ship them an icon of Saint Mark (with the seal of the Alexandrian Patriarchate, the lion) to enrich the Crypt’s icon of Saints Andrew and Peter. 

His Beatitude with Georgetown college students at Copley Crypt.

Her Excellency Ambassador of Greece Alexandra Papadopoulou, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria, His Excellency Ambassador of Egypt Motaz Zahran, and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. 

A variety of group, civic, diplomatic, and inter-Orthodox, ecumenical, and interfaith leaders atended the Doxology and luncheon at St. Sophia Cathedral in Washington, DC.