PROGRAMME OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF PATRIARCH OF MOSKOW KYRILL TO THE HOLY LAND.
Friday, October 27 / November 9
14:00
Arrival at Ben Gurion airport (Terminal 1), Tel Aviv, of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. His Beatitude is met by a delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem consisting of:
His Eminence Isychios, Metropolitan of Capitolias; His Emincence Theophylaktos, Archbishop of the Jordan; Rev. Archimandrite Stephanos; and Rev. Archimandrite Galaktion. His Excellency Mr. Sergey Yakovlev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to State of Israel; His Excellency Mr. Alexander Rudakov, Representative of the Russian Federation to the Palestinian Authority; and Rev. Archimandrite Isidor, the Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem are also present.
14:30-15:30
Transfer to Jerusalem by car to the King David Hotel.
17:00
Official entrance to the Old City at Jaffa Gate met by a delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, representatives of the Christian Communities in Jerusalem, local Authorities and the people. Procession to the gate of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
17:15
Procession of H.B. Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and H.B. Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, to the Holy Sepulchre Church.
17:30
Arrival at the Holy Sepulchre Church. Veneration of the Stone of Unction and the Holy Tomb, Gospel reading, Doxology in the Catholicon, exchange of greetings.
18:30
Return to the Patriarchate. Reception. Greetings. Decoration of H.B.Patriarch Kyrill.Transfer to the King David Hotel. Dinner.
Saturday, October 28 / November 10
Breakfast at the King David Hotel.
10:20
Transfer to Gethsemane.
10:40
Visit to the Tomb of the Mother of God. Prayer and Gospel reading.
Visit to the Garden of Gethsemane.
11:30
Transfer to Bethlehem.
12:00
Visit to the Grotto and the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, who will be officially met by the Patriarchal Representative, His Eminence Theophylaktos, Archbishop of Jordan, the priests, and His Excellency Mr. Alexander Rudakov, Representative of the Russian Federation to the Palestinian Authority, local Authorities and the Flock. Greetings. Meeting with the local Press in the courtyard of the Basilica.
13:00
Meeting of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, and His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, with His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, at the presidential residence in Bethlehem.
13:30
Official luncheon in honor of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, given by His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority.
15:00
Transfer to the King David Hotel.
18:00
Vespers and Matins at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. Presentation of awards. Dinner.
23:25
Transfer by car to Jaffa Gate.
23:35
Procession to the Patriarchate.
23:50
Procession from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to the Holy Sepulchre Church.
Sunday, October 29 / November 11
00:00
Arrival of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, and His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Holy Sepulchre Church. Matins in the Catholicon.
00:30
Patriarchal concelebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Holy and Life- Giving Tomb. Exchange of greetings in front of the Holy Edicule. Office of the Holy Sepulchre Church.
03:30
Departure of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, from the Holy Sepulchre Church to Jaffa Gate. Transfer to King David Hotel.
12:00
Breakfast.
Meeting of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, with Mr. Jona Metzer and Mr. Shlomo Amar, Chief Rabbis of Israel, at the Chief Rabbinate.
13:30
Presentation of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill’s book Freedom and Responsibility in Hebrew and of the jubilee almanac Russian Palestine: Peoples and Destinies at the King David Hotel.
14:00
Official luncheon in honor of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, given by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the King David Hotel.
16:00
Meeting of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, and His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, with His Excellency Mr. Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel at the President’s residence.
17:15
Meeting His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, with His Honor Mr. Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem.
18:10
Transfer by car to Lions’ Gate. Procession along the Way of the Cross.
19:00
Veneration of the Calvary, the Stone of Unction and the Holy Tomb with hymns and Gospel reading.
19:30 – 21:30
Reception in honor of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, given by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Transfer to the King David Hotel.
Monday, October 30 / November 12
08:40
Transfer to the Gorny Convent.
09:00
Consecration of the Church of All Saints of Russia. Divine Liturgy. Presentation of awards to the benefactors.
12:15
Luncheon in the Refectory of the Gorny Convent.
14:00
Visit to Yad Vashem Memorial.
14:50
Visit to St Mary Magdalene Convent in Gethsemane.
15:30
Visit to the Convent of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. Prayer for the departed at the tomb of Archimandrite Antonin Kapustin. Tea.
16:30
Transfer to King David Hotel. Dinner.
Tuesday, October 31 / November 13
Private breakfast.
08:00-10:00
Transfer to Mount Tabor.
10:00
Visit to the Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Prayer and Gospel reading.
10:45
Transfer to Nazareth.
11:30
Arrival at the Church of the Annunciation. His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, is met by His Eminence Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth; His Honor Mr. Ramzi Jaraise, Mayor of Nazareth; Mr. Popov, Consul of Russia in Haifa; and Mr. Amin Sifia, Consul of Russia in Ashdod. Prayer and Gospel reading.
12:15
Meeting of His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, with His Eminence Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth, and with His Honor Mr. Ramzi Jaraise, Mayor of Nazareth at the Hall of the Nazareth Metropolia. Official luncheon in honor His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, given by His Eminence Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth at the Nazareth Metropolia.
14:00
Transfer to Tiberias.
14:30
Visit to the Monastery of the Twelve Apostles of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Tiberias.
14:45
Visit to the Russian Pilgrim’s House in Tiberias.
15:10
Visit to the St Mary Magdalene dependency of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission. Prayer and Gospel reading.
17:00
Transfer to the Kingdom of Jordan via Allenby Bridge.
20:00
(Jordanian summer time) Arrival at the Pilgrims’ Centre on the Jordan River. His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill is met by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos, His Highness Prince Ghazi ben Muhammad and His Excellency Mr. Alexander Kalugin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Dinner given by the Russian President’s General Affairs Department at the Refectory of the Pilgrims’ Centre.
Wednesday, November 1/14
Breakfast.
10:20
Vesting in the house chapel. Procession to Jordan River. Great Blessing of the Waters.
11:05
Visit to the Greek Monastery of St John the Baptist on the bank of the Jordan River. His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, is met by His Eminence Benedict, Metropolitan of Philadelphia and Patriarchal Representative in Amman.
11:55
Transfer by car to Amman.
13:00
Meeting of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill and His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos with His Majesty Abdallah Ibn Husein II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
13:30
Official luncheon in honor of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill and His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos given by His Majesty King Abdallah II.
15:00-15:30
Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport.
15:45
Departure of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill for Moscow.
End of the visit of His Beatitude Kirill Patriarch of Moscow.
Chief Secretary’s Office