The first day of 2023 was celebrated with a Doxology service at the Church of the Annunciation in Alexandria, Egypt, in the presence of the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, His Beatitude Theodoros II, and hierarchs of the venerable Patriarchate.
The con-celebratory Divine Liturgy was officiated by the Metropolitan of Nafkratias and Chief Secretary of Holy Synod, His Eminence Panteleimon.
The Holy Eucharist, the “Sacrament of Sacraments”, was celebrated at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, with His Beatitude distributing the consecrated cubes of leavened bread to the congregants, and wishing all of humanity love, peace and good health in the new year.
The Primate of the Church of Alexandria also referred to the Christian brothers and sisters in Ukraine, who continue to face the horror of war, expressing his love for them and his prayers for an end to the crime.
He also expressed a hope that the co-religionist Russian people will soon return to peace, as “…war leaves only ruins and destroys the lives of people”.