Theodore II Θεόδωρος Β΄ | |
|---|---|
| Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa | |
 Theodore II in 2015 | |
| Church | Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria |
| See | Alexandria |
| Elected | 9 October 2004 |
| Installed | 24 October 2004 |
| Predecessor | Peter VII |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1975 |
| Consecration | 23 April 1978 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nikolaos Horeftakis (1954-11-25)November 25, 1954 (age 70) |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Alma mater | Rizarios Ecclesiastical School |
Theodore (Theodoros)II(Greek:Πάπας και Πατριάρχης Αλεξανδρείας και πάσης Αφρικής Θεόδωρος Β΄; bornNikolaos Khoreftakis (Νικόλαος Χορευτάκης), November 25, 1954) is theEastern Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa.[1] He was previously a monk in theAgarathos Holy Monastery of theAssumption of the Virgin Mary.[2][3]
He was born in theGreek island ofCrete in 1954, where he completed his schooling. He is a graduate of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School inAthens and holds a degree from the Theology Department of theAristotle University of Thessaloniki. He also studied History of Art, Literature and Philosophy inOdesa.[4]
He was ordained as Deacon in 1975 and Archbishop on 23 April 1978 by Metropolitan of Lambis and Sfakion Theodore Tzedakis. From 1975 to 1985, he served as Archdeacon and Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Lambis and Sfakion inCrete, where he developed significant Preaching and Philanthropic activities (hostels for needy youth, etc.). From 1985 to 1990 he served asPatriarchal Exarch inRussia, based in the Ukrainian city ofOdesa, during the tenure of PatriarchsNicholas VI andParthenios.
Theodore established the Institution of Hellenic Culture and the Philiki Eterea Museum with 600 children, where they were taught a thorough knowledge of Greek. In 1990, he was ordained Bishop of Kyrene and was appointed Representative of Patriarch Parthenios in Athens (1990–97). He always accompanied Patriarch Parthenios on his travels throughout Africa and to many international, interfaith and theological conferences.
In 1997, he was appointedPatriarchal Vicar of Alexandria by PatriarchPetros VII to assist him at the outset of his Patriarchate and after ten months he was elected as Metropolitan ofCameroon.[5] He greatly developed missionary activity there. He built churches, schools and hospitals, helping many Africans and local Greeks. In 2002, he was transferred to the Holy Metropolis ofZimbabwe, where he established four missionary centres inHarare, a Hellenic Cultural Centre for 400 delegates, two large missionary centres inMalawi, with a hospital, technical schools and nursery schools. Aided by the Greek Parliament he renovated the Hellenic Square (School-Church-Vicarage) inBeira,Mozambique. He founded churches and contributed to the establishment of the Hellenic Communities of Botswana and Angola.
Following the sudden death of late Patriarch Petros in a helicopter crash, Theodore was unanimously elected on October 9, 2004 by the Synod of the Alexandrian Throne as Patriarch. Theenthronement ceremony took place at theCathedral of Annunciation in Alexandria, on Sunday, October 24, 2004, in the presence of distinguished religious and civilian representatives and a great number of faithful. He is the seventh of Patriarch of Alexandria of Cretan origin afterSilvester,Meletius Pigas,Cyrillos Lucaris,Gerasimus Palladas, Gerasimus Spartaliotis andMeletius Metaxakis.[6]
On 8 November 2019, Patriarch Theodore II formally recognised theautocephaly granted by theEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to theOrthodox Church of Ukraine earlier that year.[7][8] In response, theMoscow Patriarchate (the ROC) severed eucharistic communion with Patriarch Theodore and the like-minded bishops of his church, a decision that was confirmed by the Standing Holy Synod of the ROC on 26 December 2019.[9][10][11]
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| Preceded by | Greek Patriarch of Alexandria since 2004 | Incumbent |
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