PILGRIMS FROM THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF FINLAND VISIT THE PATRIARCHATE
On Tuesday, September 28th / October 11th 2011, the Bishop of Gioencu Arsenios of the Orthodox Church of Finland together with a small escort visited the Patriarchate and was accepted by His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.
In this meeting, His Beatitude welcomed them at the Zion Church, mother of Churches where the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles during the day of Pentecoste. From this Church originated all the established Orthodox Churches worldwide by the work of the Apostles the Disciples of Christ. Historical records of the Incarnation of the Word of God, His Act of Salvation and the Acts of His Disciples are the Holy and Sacred Pilgrimages of the Holy Land, which the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was called to protect and keep through the centuries.
His Beatitude also sent his greetings to his Eminence Bishop of Finland Leonta and referred to his visit to the Orthodox Church of Finland, where he enjoyed the warm hospitality of his Eminence and all the members of the Church.
Afterwards His Beatitude gave as presents pectoral crosses to the visitors, icons of the Most Holy Sepulcher and the book of History of the Church of Jerusalem by the Father of the Holy Sepulcher Archbishop of Athens Chrisostomos Papadopoulos.
The Bishop of Gioensu Arsenios and his escort thanked his Beatitude cordially and asked for his blessing to celebrate the coming Saturday night at the Most Holy and Life-giving Sepulcher.
Chief Secretary’s Office
(translated from the original document in Greek by Mrs. Irini Valasi)
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