ALEXANDRIA – His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa has completed his historic first visit to the United States and returned to his See, which is second in rank after the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Orthodox Church.

Before his departure from Washington, DC, Patriarch Theodoros II addressed a greeting of love and thanksgiving to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, with whose blessing he made his visit to the Archdiocese of America.

He then thanked Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for the showing him “the hospitality of Abraham.”

The Patriarch also thanked Dr. Anthony Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, and all the Archons for their granting him the Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award.

He also expressed his gratitude to all the Greek-Americans he met during his stay in the United States.

He also referred to his meeting with President Joe Biden, and emphasized that the meeting was achieved thanks to the power and respect enjoyed by Greeks in America.

During his meeting with the President, the Patriarch had the opportunity to inform him about the humanitarian work carried out by the Patriarchate in Africa, the excellent relations of the Patriarchate with the President of Egypt Mr. El-Sisi, and about how much the coexistence of Christians and Muslims in Egypt has stabilized due to his efforts, as well as how much the Egyptian President supports the work of the Patriarchate.

In his concluding remarks, Patriarch Theodoros II made detailed references to what is seen as an invasion of the Russian Orthodox Church into the canonical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate in Africa, and to the activities of the executive bodies of its pseudo-exarchy.