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In recent years, a considerable missionary effort was enacted by Pope [[Petros VII (Papapetrou) of Alexandria|Petros VII]]. During his seven years as patriarch (1997-2004), he worked tirelessly to spread the Orthodox Christian [[faith]] in Arab nations and throughout Africa, raising up native [[clergy]] and encouraging the use of local languages in the liturgical life of the Church. Missions spread and thrived in Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Cameroon, and elsewhere across the African continent.
Particularly sensitive to the nature of Christian expansion into [[Islam|Muslim]] countries, His Beatitude worked to promote mutual understanding and respect between Orthodox Christians and Muslims. His efforts were ended as the result of a helicopter crash on [[September 11]], 2004, in the Aegean Sea near Greece, killing him and several other clergy, including Bishop [[Nectarios Nektarios (Kellis) of Madagascar|Nectarios Nektarios of Madagascar]], another bishop with a profound missionary vision.
Today, some 300,000 Orthodox Christians comprise the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the highest number since the [[Roman Empire]]. The current primate of the Church of Alexandria is His Beatitude [[Theodoros II (Choreftakis) of Alexandria|Theodoros II]], Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
