On Tuesday, the 25^th of June/8^th of July 2014, Mrs Kate Clerides, the daughter of the late President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Glafcos Clerides, Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs (of Cyprus), and Mr Ioannis Iacovou, Deputy Director of the Service for Overseas and Repatriated Cypriots of the Republic of Cyprus, visited the Patriarchate.

These distinguished visitors were received by H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In the context of this visit, an interesting discussion took place on the patriotic work of the late President Clerides, on the need for a just solution to the Cyprus problem, and on the presence of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Cyprus, especially after the recent inauguration of the Exarchy of the Holy Sepulcher on the island.

On the occasion of this visit, Mrs Clerides and Mr Ioannis Iacovou offered His Beatitude a present on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Anastasiades, namely a silver lekythos. His Beatitude, in return, offered a fine icon of Panaghia Jerusalemite and the book on the History of the Church of Jerusalem by Chrysostomos Papadopoulos.

Thanking His Beatitude for receiving them, Mrs Clerides and Mr Iacovou proceeded to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher in the company of the Most Reverend Philoumenos, Metropolitan of Pella.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/ZFuGJYTWRNk

On Tuesday, the 25^th of June/8^th of July 2014, fifty members of the Rum Orthodox Community of the Patriarchate from the town of Karak, South Jordan, and other Jordan cities, visited the Patriarchate under their Steward, f. John.

They were warmly received by H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers. The Patriarch spoke to the guests of the spiritual links between the Patriarchate and its Jordan flock within its irrevocable jurisdiction since the beginning, and advised them to study and observe the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church.

Before leaving to venerate at the Holy Sepulcher and other shrines, guests were offered Jerusalemite memorabilia and the blessing of His Beatitude.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/15EYHQHDg7Y

On Monday, the 24th of June/7^th of July 2014, the Birth of St John the Forerunner and Baptist was celebrated in his birthplace, the Hill Country of Judea (Luke 1, 39).

The feast was observed at the Monastery of the Nativity of the Forerunner, founded in the days of the ever-memorable Patriarch Cyril of Jerusalem (1852), led by the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios of Kapitolias. Co-officiating were Archimandrite f. Ieronymus and the Arab-speaking priest f. Charalambos-Farah. The choir of the Church of the Resurrection performed under Head Cantor, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, while a crowd of monks, nuns, local Orthodox and pilgrims participated in piety.

The feast was also observed at the Monastery of the Birth of John the Baptist, which belongs to the Patriarchate of Russia since the 19^th c., led by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa. The deputy head of the Russian Spiritual Mission (MISSIA) of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Archimandrite f. Theophanes and other Russian Hieromonks co-officiated, as the female choir of the Convent sang.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession thrice around the church, after which Abbess Georgia hosted the Prelatic retinue and flock to a fine, though meatless, lunch.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/mXkJ8M2TRwg

httpv://youtu.be/-IvruikShWw

On the morning of Monday, the 24^th of June/7^th of July 2014, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, in the framework of a divine liturgy commemorating the birth of John the Baptist at the monastic church of Sts Constantine and Helen, performed a memorial service for the repose of the soul of Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev and All Ukraine, who passed away on Saturday the 22^nd/5^th of July 2014.

On the dormition of the late Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem sent the following letter of condolences to Patriarch Kyril of Russia, see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/07/05/7922

as well as the following letter of condolences to Metropolitan Onuphrius of Chernovtsi and Bukovina,  locum tenens of Kiev and all Ukraine:

To the Most Reverend Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Onuphrius of Chernovtsi and Bukovina, our beloved brother in the Lord, co-officiating with Our Mediocrity.

With great sorrow we have been informed of the dormition of the grey-haired Prelate Volodymyr, the late Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine, our dearest co-officiating brother.

Profoundly participating in the mourning of the pious flock shepherded for years by the departed, we earnestly pray to our immortal king, Christ, who holds power over the dead and the living, for the repose of his soul in the land of the righteous and for the consolation of Your Holiness personally and of the entire Christ-loving people of the Holy Bishopric of Kiev and all Ukraine.

In the Holy City of Jerusalem, 22 June 2014.

Beloved brother in Christ,

THEOPHILOS III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/BPHy1IWMW6A

On the night of Saturday to Sunday, the 22^nd to the 23^rd of June/5^th to 6^th of July 2014, hierodeacon f. Thaddaeus was ordained as priest.
Having served for six years at the Horrendous Golgotha, hierodeacon f. Thaddaeus, was ordained by the Elder Sacristan, Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, during the divine liturgy at the Life-Giving Sepulcher. Co-officiating were visiting Prelates, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, and Metropolitan Eugenios of Hierapytna and Sitia of the Church of Crete.

The parents and sister of the ordained attended the ordination, alongside his brother f. Mathew, Hagiotaphite Archimandrite and student of Theology in Greece; his Spiritual Father, Archimandrite Chrysostomos; Abbot Isychios at the Monastery of Abba, and the Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, His Eminence Demetrios, Archbishop of Lydda.

At the conclusion of the divine liturgy, the ordained priest hosted his guests to a reception in the office of the Elder Sacristan, who went on to wish him a dedicated and blessed diaconate, liked by God, in the name of the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The service was broadcast live on the Patriarchate’s radio station.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/BUc7Uz8WJMc

httpv://youtu.be/OjrM_Ki8Mgw

On Saturday, the 22^nd of June/5^th of July 2014, the Most Reverend Nikolaos, Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, with a group of pilgrims from his Bishopric, including pilgrims from the parish of St John Chrysostom headed by father Asterios, visited the Patriarchate.

This large and distinguished group was received by Patriarch Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

His Beatitude spoke of the work of salvation, carried out in the Holy Land by means of the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. This work, performed in the Holy Land by Christ, is extended across the centuries through His Church. Participating in this work, are pilgrims visiting the Holy Land in order to venerate.

The head of the group, namely the Most Reverend Nikolaos, Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, warmly thanked His Beatitude for receiving them in the Church of Sion, for the spiritual work performed by the Church of Jerusalem and for His words of encouragement to pilgrims.

Addressing His Beatitude, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Mesogaia explained that amongst the pilgrims are several members of the group founded by him in order to console terminal cancer patients. The group bears the name “Galilee” to commemorate the work carried out by Jesus in Galilee and the whole of the Holy Land and to preserve hope, as told in the Scriptures:  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned” (Matthew 4, 15-16).

His Beatitude thanked the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki for supporting the Patriarchate through pilgrimage visits and otherwise, and blessed the pilgrims before their tour along Mount Sion and the Cenacle.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/qofNxmc1Fow

Holy City of Jerusalem, Saturday, July 5^th, 2014

His Holiness Kyrill,

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia,

Moscow

The Russian Federation

Your Holiness, dear Brother and Concelebrant in the Lord,

We have learnt that His Eminence Volodymyr, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, fell asleep in the Lord this morning. We knew that he had been suffering for a long time from debilitating illness, and he has always been in Our prayers. We remember his visits as a pilgrim to the Holy Land over the years, and We hold in special affection Our time with him when We were in Kyiv for the 1025^th anniversary of 5the Baptism of the Rus’ last year.

Metropolitan Volodymyr was a bishop of deep devotion to his Church and his people, and a faithful pastor in challenging times. He lived his archpastoral calling with humility and prayerfulness, and was an inspiration to many younger monks, priests, and bishops. A leader of stature has passed from among us, and We know that his people will miss him very much.

May Metropolitan Volodymyr rest with all the saints, and may his memory be eternal.

With deep condolences and with fraternal love in Christ, We remain,

THEOPHILOS III

PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

On Wednesday, the 19^th of June/3^rd of July 2014, the Most Reverend Eugenios, Metropolitan of Hierapytna and Sitia of the Church of Crete, heading a pilgrimage group consisting of a hundred priests and faithful of his god-saved Bishopric, visited the Patriarchate.

The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Hierapytna and pilgrims were courteously received by His Beatitude, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

At the beginning of this visit, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Hierapytna expressed his joy, emotion and gratitude to God for yet another visit to the Holy Land, the holy shrines of which have been preserved through the centuries by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood.

In His reply, His Beatitude thanked the Most Reverend Eugenios, Metropolitan of Hierapytna, for this pilgrimage initiative and explained to pious pilgrims the importance of their pilgrimage as an act of spiritual development which enhances their faith and greatly contributes to salvation.

His Beatitude went on to offer an engolpiyon [small icon worn on the chest] and cross to the Most Reverend Metropolitan, pectoral crosses to the priests, and Jerusalemite eulogias to pilgrims.

Amongst the pilgrims was the grey-haired Abbot of the “Axion Esti” Monastery of the Bishopric of Hierapytna, Archimandrite Anastasios, who offered a set of golden chalice, paten and coverings to be used during services at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/5VeZz5RSiGE

On Tuesday the 19^th of June/2^nd of July 2014, Steward f. Nikolaos and fifty members of the Community of Madaba, Jordan, visited the Patriarchate.

They were welcomed by H.B. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers, who praised the priest and members of the Community for the ecclesiastical and educational work they perform in this historical town and the Greek Orthodox Church preserving a mosaic known as “The Madaba Map”, representing the Holy Land during the time of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Before their departure, guests were offered numerous Jerusalemite eulogias.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/3i3yLtz2Gcg

On Friday the 15^th/28^th of June 2014, the memory of the prophet Elisha (Eliseus) was honoured in the Jericho Monastery dedicated to him and to St Zacchaeus, where lie remnants of the sycamore tree he climbed as a child in order to see the Lord (Luke 19, 4).

The Monastery is dedicated to the prophet Elisha too, as he was active in this particular area, a student of the prophet Elias. It is precisely in Jericho where Elisha had transformed the waters of a living spring from bitter and deadly to sweet and drinkable, whereas in the river Jordan he received the grace of God through Elias’ mantle.

The divine Liturgy was led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem with co-officiating Primates: Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, and Archbishops Aristarchos of Constanina and Methodios of Tabor. Also in attendance were Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and deacons, in the presence of Orthodox people from the little flock of Jericho, and pilgrims from Jerusalem and Greece.

During Communion, His Beatitude preached the Word of God in Greek.

At the end of the Holy Communion, His Beatitude blessed the grapes, already ripe due to Jericho’s warm climate.

After the divine Liturgy, the Hegoumen, Archimandrite Philoumenos, hosted all to a reception.

At noon, Archimandrite Philoumenos and Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) from the town of Jericho hosted the Patriarchal retinue to meatless lunch at a restaurant.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/v1P324oEn5o

httpv://youtu.be/ilnHbI3n3TE