HIS BEATITUDE DECORATED THE ARCHBISHOP OF ZADAR OF CROATIA
On Friday, March 26th / April 8th of 2011, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III received at the Patriarchate His Eminence Željko Puljić Archbishop of Zadar (Croatia – Hrvatska) of the Roman Catholic Church, together with the Chief Secretary of his Metropolis Prof. Dr. Adelbert Rebic and a group of 35 pilgrims. Within the framework of this visit His Beatitude in the name of the Patriarchate thanked the Archbishop of Zadar since his predecessor late Archbishop of Zadar Mons. Ivan Prendja, responded positively to the request made by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to provide a piece of the sacred relic of Saint Symeon the ‘Theothohos’ – God Receiver kept at Zadar, and moreover, in honouring the initial request, the Archbishop of Zadar His Eminence Željko Puljić completed the process for the granting of this piece of the relic.
The delivery of the piece of the honourable relic took place at the Cathedral Church of Saint Symeon at Zadar on the 7th of September 2010 when it was presented to the delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem namely His Eminence Theophylaktos Archbishop of Jordan and Patriarchal Representative in Bethlehem, and Reverend Archimandrite Fr. Makarios the Patriarchal Representative in Qatar. The delegation returned to Jerusalem with the piece of the sacred Relic, whereupon it was deposited with solemnity at the Church of Saint Symeon ‘Kata Monas’, on Sunday the 4th / 17th of October 2010, via a panegyric Holy Liturgy presided by His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III concelebrating with His Eminence Aristarchos Archbishop of Constantina and Elder Chief Secretary, His Eminence Methodios Archbishop of Mt. Tabor and President of the Patriarchate’s Economic Committee along with His Eminence Theodosios Archbishop of Sevasteia.
His Beatitude addressed the Archbishop of Zadar saying that «in demonstration of the gratitude of the Patriarchate for this event, We have decided to decorate You with the medal of the Bearer of the Cross of the Holy Sepulchre».
The Archbishop Mons. Željko Puljić thanked His Beatitude for the honour bestowed upon him and his Archiodesce and presented to His Beatitude an album containing the documents pertaining to the delivery of the piece of the sacred relic and invited Him to visit the Metropolis of Zadar. The pilgrims who escorted the Archbishop of Zadar chanted, for the benefit of His Beatitude, the Dismissal Hymn of Saint Symeon in Croatian.
His Beatitude presented to the Archbishop of Zadar the book by Professor Votokopoulos on the illustrated manuscripts of the Patriarchal Library whilst to the priests accompanying him presented them celebratory medals of the 1500 year history of the Patriarchate, and to the group members He gave icons and Jerusalemite benedictions.
In the evening of the same day the Archbishop of Zadar, together with his escort and the pilgrims, visited the Monastery of Saint Symeon in the neighborhood ‘Kata Monas’, where the received piece of His sacred relic is now kept by the grave of the Saint. There, they were received courteously by the Superior Reverend Archimandrite Fr. Theodoritos who had also endeavoured much for the obtainment of this sacred treasure of the Monastery.
Chief Secretary’s Office.