The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias visited yesterday, Tuesday 19 December 2023, in the context of his official visit to Egypt, Alexandria, where he was received by His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Mr Theodoros B in the Patriarchate.

During the visit, His Beatitude awarded the Minister with the highest honourable distinction of the Patriarchal Throne, the Grand Cross of Saint Mark with a star.

During his response to the address of Mr Theodoros B, Mr Dendias stated the following:

“Your Beatitude, Holy Fathers, Your Excellency Mr Ambassador, Officers, ladies and gentlemen, I will not take much of your time with a long address. However, I feel the need, Your Beatitude, to thank you for the immense honour you bestowed on this humble person.

Allow me to considered it addressed not to me personally but to the role that the Greek state and the Armed Forces, of which I am the political Head, play in favour of stability and peace in our wider region and furthermore for the close cultivation of our relations with the great country of Egypt, where you serve.

However, allow me, apart from that, to make three points. The first is your service in Egypt, which I have already mentioned. This great country, the country of 100 million people, is first of all a country of particular significance, for our small homeland, but also for Europe and peace in the region.

So, your service here carries a huge added value. The preaching of love and peace which you express is of great significance for us.

Orthodoxy’s presence here, the presence of the historic Patriarchate of which, by divine right, you are the head, is of immense significance. A significance which, you being modest, did not include in your address and did not underline.

The second point is your role in the wider continent of Africa. Your Beatitude, I will not try to state something new, you pointed that out with exquisite elegance. Africa is the fastest growing continent on the planet financially and in terms of population. If one looks at a simple statistical approach, without some particular need for foresight, examining the numbers of any statistics agency on the planet, they will conclude that in the next century Africa will be a superpower financially and in terms of population.

In that sense, your presence also in this continent, your constant apostolate, your constant movement, your communication with the flock of an immense continent, is something which first of all attributes added value to Orthodoxy, in which we all believe, but apart from that, allow me to bestow a small part of that as a gain to our small homeland.

You were also kind enough in your address to mention the use of the Greek language as a significant element for Greece.

The third point, which I don’t have the right to substantially touch upon, Your Beatitude, but which I would simply like to mention, is your service to orthodoxy. Exactly the fact that Africa is a rapidly growing land in terms of population, that fact exactly, attributes to the orthodox presence in the continent a different meaning.

And I think, exactly due to the deprivations and tribulations which always accompany a rapid growth and a period of transition, the orthodox message of love and reconciliation, tends to be the most appropriate for the new generation growing in this great continent and is willing to listen.

So, allow me to say that for all of these three reasons, I am deeply grateful to be here today, at the Holy See of the historic Alexandria Patriarchate.

Furthermore, the symbolism of Saint Mark, which you so kindly underlined, is maybe known to most but perhaps not to all.

I hail from Corfu. For many years Corfu had been under Venetian rule. The Lion of Saint Mark was the emblem of the Most Serene Republic, but also the emblem of the first hybrid Greek State, the United States of the Ionian Islands. The difference is that regarding the Venetian Lion the gospel is open and mentions “Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus”, while in our orthodox version, the gospel is closed. It bears the outward orthodox cross and the seven arrows of the United States of the Ionian Islands. So, there is a sentimental bond between me and the Patriarchate, which has Saint Mark the Evangelist as a showcase, as a posit, as a patron. I am certain that he blesses the Patriarchate, Africa and our small homeland.

I am touched, Your Beatitude, to be here today and I thank you as much as the Holy Fathers, for the immense honour you bestowed through me upon the Ministry and the Armed Forces of our homeland.

I wholeheartedly thank You”.

Later, commemorative gifts were exchanged, the Minister discussed with the Patriarch of Alexandria in private and he was given a tour of the Patriarchal Museum.

The following individuals attended the Minister’s visit: the Chief-Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, His Reverence the Metropolitan Bishop of Nafkratis Mr Pandeleimon, the Patriarchal Commissioner of Alexandria, His Reverence the Metropolitan Bishop of Pilousion Mr Narkissos, the Ambassador of Greece in Cairo, Nikolaos Papageorgiou, the General Consul of Greece in Alexandria Ioannis Pyrgakis, the Defence Attaché in Cairo, Captain Michalis Tsiligakis HN, the Liaison of the Hellenic Navy with his Egyptian counterpart, Captain Konstantinos Varouxis HN, the President of the Hellenic Community of Alexandria, Andreas Vafiadis, clergy of the Patriarchal Court and members of the HMoND delegation for the visit to Egypt.

Click this link for the press release of the Alexandria Patriarchate regarding the visit of Mr Dendias: HERE