On November 2 and 3, Metropolitan Daniel of Axomi paid his first pastoral visit to the expatriate Orthodox in the second populated city of Ethiopia, Dire Dawa.
On Saturday, November 2, shortly after arriving in the city, a visit was made to the shrine to the Archangel Gabriel in the Kulibi area.
Archangel Gabriel is the patron of all the Ethiopians and his temple is a venerable remembrance of the last Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.
On Sunday, November 3, in the presence of the few Greek Orthodox in Dire Dawa, an archieratic Divine Liturgy was celebrated after decades.
The Metropolitan of Axomi, in his speech, referred to the centuries-old presence of Greeks in the city, who, with the exhortation and assistance of the blessed Great Benefactor of the Parish, Stylianos Vololakos, built the Holy Temple of the Holy Trinity, as well as the Greek School, an event hall, etc.
The President of the Greek Community of Dire Dawa, George Georgalis, thanked everyone for their presence in the city, and especially for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
Then, Metropolitan Daniel honoured the President of the Greek Community for his contribution to Hellenism and the Church, as well as Eleni Papatakis, who, for many decades, until today in her old age, has cared unselfishly for the temple.
