Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria is on an official visit to Cyprus, where he was received by the Ministry of Defense, informs orthodoxianewsagency.gr.

The Patriarch met with Defense Minister Charalambos Petridis in the presence of the head of the National Guard, Colonel General Dimokritos Zervakis, and the chief director of the ministry, Andreas Lucas.

The Patriarch said that this visit to Cyprus represents a special joy for him, noting that he himself was born on a neighboring large island, in Crete.

“I didn’t count how many times I have come to Cyprus, as I feel that this is my second homeland. Every time I come here, I feel how my heart is filled with feelings, pain and responsibility before people in vast Africa, where I am a pastor in 54 states, and with great joy I meet representatives of the Cypriot diaspora there,” said the head of the Alexandrian Patriarchate.

As previously reported, during the previous visit of Patriarch Theodore to Cyprus, many hierarchs avoided concelebrating with him.