Source:
Official website of the Church of
Alexandria
The Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa
is the second in rank of the fourteen
Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, which in
their totality constitute the Orthodoxy, one
of the three [main communions] of
Christianity, along with the Roman Catholicism
and Protestantism. Located in Alexandria of
Egypt, its spiritual jurisdiction spreads
throughout the African continent, which is
accounted as a single geographical Church
region.
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”. On 9 October 2004, the Synod of the
Patriarchal Throne has unanimously elected
Theodoros II (born Nikolaos Horeftakis) as
Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all
Africa. After his election the Egyptian State
officially awarded to him the Egyptian
nationality and granted him special passport
in order to facilitate his international
travels.
The Patriarchate of Alexandria has a history
of two thousand years in Egypt and in Africa.
According to the Church tradition the Apostle
and Evangelist Mark is considered to be the
Founder and first Bishop of the Alexandrian
Church. Saint Mark arrived to Alexandria in 43
AD, the year which is counted for the
foundation year of the Alexandrian
Church.
During the first centuries of the Christian
era, the Patriarchate of Alexandria played a
decisive role regarding the crystallization of
Christian teaching’s fundamental principles
and Christianity’s worldwide diffusion. Key
factor to this effect was the famous
Catechetical School of Alexandria, which has
produced men of great spiritual caliber, such
as Pantainos, Clement, and Origen. In parallel
the emergence, development and systematization
of monasticism, either in its anchoretic, or
in its coenobitic form, contributed through
discipline and paradigm to the establishment
of Christian faith, as well as to the final
configuration of monasticism
universally.
Under the Arab rule (641-1250) and the Mamluk
administration (1250-1517) the Patriarchate
experienced difficulties on the one hand due
to the Orthodox flock’s shrinkage, and on the
other hand due to paucity of resources. The
Patriarchate gradually began to recover after
the Ottoman conquest (1517), showing special
concern for the pastoral care and the material
support of the scattered Orthodox flock within
Africa, and developing from time to time
earnest diplomatic activity with the aim of
securing the international protection of the
Patriarchal Throne.
The favorable conditions created in Egypt by
Muhammad Ali and his dynasty (1805-1952), the
installation of numerous Orthodox Christians
and the formation of dynamic Orthodox
communities in Egypt, and from there to all
around the North and East Africa, put the
Patriarchate in orbit of regeneration and
redevelopment. Initially the Patriarchate,
through reviving the ancient synodical system,
re-established to a great extent its
geographical jurisdiction, as it was before
the Arab conquest. Subsequently the
Patriarchate addressed itself to the whole
African Continent, appealing to every African,
beyond borders, races, and colors, and
moreover with respect to the mores, customs
and traditions of Africa.