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THE COUNTRY OF HUNGARY DECORATES HIS BEATITUDE THEOPHILOS, PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

On Wednesday, the 19th of November, 2nd of December 2014, Mr Zsolt Semjén, Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary, visited the Patriarchate accompanied by Mr Geza Mihályi, Hungarian Representative in Ramallah, and former Ambassador, Mr Csaba Czibere, Director General of the Middle East and North Africa Department.

His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary conveyed to His Beatitude the greetings of the President and the Cardinal of Hungary, inviting Him to visit Hungary anew, as His previous visit was fondly remembered.

In response, His Beatitude accepted the courteous invitation in due time, once His pastoral obligations will allow such visit.

During the meeting, Mr Semjén conferred on His Beatitude the supreme medal of his country, namely the Commander’s Cross with the Star, Order of Merit of Hungary (civilian division), in recognition of the harmonious cooperation between the Patriarchate and Hungary, and of the Patriarch’s support of Christians in the Holy Land.

His Beatitude gave a reply speech in English, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/12/02/10374

To reciprocate the honour, the Patriarch bestowed on Mr Semjén the medal of Supreme Taxiarch of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

Moved, the Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister thanked His Beatitude for this gesture, tightening the ties between Hungary and the Patriarchate, before going on to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher, Calvary and the Sacristy of the Church of the Resurrection, wherein the Holy Cross and the holy Relics are being kept.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/uJ5yqzhursE