THE FEAST OF THE SYNAXIS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Monday, the 7^th/20^th of Janyary 2014, the day after the feast of Theophany, marked the celebration of the feast of the Synaxis of John the Baptist at the Monastery dedicated to him, which lies in the vicinity of the Church of the Resurrection in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The term “Synaxis” denotes the gathering of the faithful with the purpose of honouring a saint for his diaconate in a specific event. It is in this spirit that Christians gather to honour John the Baptist, especially for his diaconate in the sacrament of Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan river, by means of his honest hand touching upon the Lord’s pure head.

Archimandrite Nikodemos, Hegoumen of the Monastery of John the Baptist in the Old City of Jerusalem, led the Vespers on the eve, and the divine Liturgy on the day of the feast, before hosting the congregation to a reception at the conclusion of both services.

From the Secretariat-General