The Patriarchal Commissioner in Qatar, His Eminence Makarios, Archbishop of Qatar, forwarded the following message to the Website of the Patriarchate, on the celebrations for the Holy Week and Easter in Qatar:

“Within an atmosphere of piety and devoutness, the flock of the Holy Archbishopric of Qatar participated in the Sacraments of the Church and the Services of the Holy Week, culminating at the Resurrection of our Lord.

The participation of the Orthodox faithful to the Holy Services, both from the capital of Doha and from other cities of the Emirate, was larger than in previous years.

The services were held in Greek, Arabic, Slavic, Serbian, Romanian and English, for the ampler participation of the polyglot flock. The cantors marvelously performed the hymns, while the choirs chanted the Engomia (Praises) of the Holy Friday in various languages”.

From the Secretariat-General

At midnight of the Great Saturday to Easter Sunday, the 6^th to the 7^th/19^th to 20^th of April 2014, the Matins service and the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom were held at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection. For this brilliant feast, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood proceeded amidst bells ringing to the Church of the Resurrection.

pon their arrival, the Patriarchal Retinue proceeded through a dense crowd of pilgrims to the Katholikon. There, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, rose to the throne while the Head Cantor of the Church, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, chanted the Canon of the Holy Saturday with his choir of students at the School of Sion.

During the 9^th Ode of the Canon, His Beatitude stepped out of the Katholikon, for the procession to begin around the Holy Sepulcher. The procession was followed by Matins with the reading out of the Gospel of Mark: “When the Sabbath ended…”, “Christ Has Risen” and Easter Matins through the nine Odes, the Canon of the Resurrection.

At the conclusion of Matins, the Divine Liturgy began, during which the participating crowd proclaimed “Christ Has Risen” in Greek, Arabic, Russian and Romanian, so earnestly that the Divine Liturgy could hardly be heard.

The service was led by His Beatitude Theophilos. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; their Eminences the Archbishops: Dorotheos of Avila, Aristarchos of Constantina, Methodios of Tabor and Theodosios of Sebaste; and Archbishop Theodosius, visiting from the Patriarchate of Serbia; Hieromonks and priests visiting from other Orthodox Churches; Archdeacon Evlogios and deacons Martyrios and Dionysios. Archimandrites Aristovoulos and f. Joseph of Mount Athos chanted in the Byzantine style, while the faithful participated in piety.

Before the Apolysis, His Beatitude read out the catechizing speech of St John Chrysostom: “He who is pious and devout…”

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, priests offered the Holy Communion and the antidoron (blessed bread) to the congregation, whereas His Beatitude proceeded to the Central Monastery, where he was treated to cheese and Easter egg.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/f_lRqCyM6F8

At noon of the Holy Saturday, the 7^th/19^th of April 2014, the ceremony of the Holy Light took place at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in accordance with its typical order.

This particular ceremony ranks among the most emotive and significant held at the Patriarchate.

To officiate at the ceremony, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, proceeded along St James’ steps, accompanied by Hagiotaphite Fathers, clerics from other Churches, the Greek Church delegation under the Most Reverend Georgios, Metropolitan of Thivae and Levadeia, and the Greek State delegation under His Eminence the Under-Secretary of the Interior, in order to receive the Holy Light.

His Beatitude entered the Holy Bema, followed by Armenian and Coptic clerics, who were to receive the Patriarch’s blessing.

There, His Beatitude was also greeted by missions from the Orthodox Churches of Russia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland, intended to receive the Holy Light.

The Church of the Resurrection was since the early morning hours replete with pilgrims.

Exiting the Holy Bema, His Beatitude blessed the Holy Entrance, upon which a procession began thrice around the Holy Sepulcher, amidst chanting of Resurrection troparia.

After the third procession, His Beatitude removed His attire and, wearing only the alb, entered the Aedicula and the interior of the Holy Sepulcher, followed by the Armenian cleric, who waited at the Angel’s Stone.

In prayer, His Beatitude offered the Holy Light to father Issa, the Arab-speaking Orthodox priest of St James. Running, the priest offered the light to the faithful waiting under the seven arches and in the Holy Bema.

Then, His Beatitude, holding candles, offered the light to the faithful from the gates of the Holy Aedicula. The faithful received the light with anticipation and enthusiasm, so that through it they would be blessed to approach the light of Christ’s Resurrection.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/bnOkLF8o5nE

On the night of Holy Friday, the 5^th/18^th of April 2014, the devout and magnificent service of the Epitaphios was held at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection in remembrance of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The ceremony was led by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. Co-officiating were Hagiotaphite Prelates and Prelates from other Orthodox Churches: the Very Reverend Theodosius, Bishop of Raska and Prizre, visiting from the Patriarchate of Serbia; the Very Reverend Georgios, Bishop of Siemiatycze, visiting from the Church of Poland; and Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and priests visiting from other Churches. Attending the service were Mr Georgios Zacharoudiakis, the Greek Consul-General to Jerusalem, former Greek Ambassador to Jordan, Mr Heracles Asteriades and Mr Petros Panagiotopoulos, former Consul-General to Jerusalem. A great crowd of Orthodox faithful, Greeks, Russians, Romanians and Cypriots prayed during the ceremony, while Archimandrite Aristovoulos, Head Cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, chanted with his choir.

The devout ceremony of the Epitaphios included the Canon “On a sea wave”, a procession along the holy shrines and ascent on the Horrendus Golgotha, the reading out of the Evangelic pericope of the Crucifixion by the Patriarch and a rotation thrice around the Apokathelosis (Deposition) with the heileton. The Gospel of the Apokathelosis was read out by the Patriarch and followed by rotation thrice around the Holy Sepulcher and the three Stases of the Engomia (Praises).

The speech of the day was delivered by the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, in Greek.

The service was concluded with Doxology within the Holy Bema.

It was a pious service performed in order and harmony, despite the fact that it lasted until 3:00 am of the Holy Saturday.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/nxw1zdEf2e8

httpv://youtu.be/bP78M8mmAzs

httpv://youtu.be/3hCP8-0uA8k

In the afternoon of Holy Friday, the 5^th/18^th of April 2014, Vespers for the Removal of Christ from the Cross was officiated at the katholikon of the Church of the Resurrection, led by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. The Head Cantor of the Church, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, chanted with his aides this troparion of compunction: “He who clothes Himself with light as with a garment”, in the presence of a crowd of pious pilgrims.

From the Secretariat-General

On the morning of Great Friday, namely the 5^th/18^th of April 2014, the service of the Royal (Great) Hours was observed on the Holy Golgotha. The service was read out after the opening of the Gate of the Church by the Orthodox in accordance with the standard order, and after the arrival of the procession which had begun from the Praetorium through Via Dolorosa, led by the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias. The Metropolitan carried a cross in remembrance of the fact that our Lord carried His cross from the Praetorium, aided by Simon of Cyrene, to Calvary, the “Place of the Skull”, where He was crucified. A great crowd of co-praying Orthodox followed.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/zgLBmF7Ap8Q

On the evening of Thursday the 4^th/17^th of April 2014, the Service of the Passion, known as the Twelve Gospels Service, was conducted at the monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen, led by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, with co-praying Hagiotaphite Fathers, in the presence of a great crowd of pious pilgrims from various Orthodox Churches and countries.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/pBS8Yy-iFxg

On the morning of Holy Thursday, the 4^th/17^th of April 2014, after the Divine Liturgy of Great Basil at the Cathedral of St James the Brother of God, the procession of the Holy Maundy was conducted in the Holy Court of the Church of the Resurrection.

During the aforementioned rite, in accordance with the Jerusalemite order, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, from an appropriate platform, washed the feet of twelve Hieromonks and Presbyters, in commemoration of the Evangelic event, as our Lord Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples, having girded himself with a towel, thus offering them and us an example of true and absolute humbling.

This devout rite, unique to the Church of Jerusalem, was attended with great attention and piety by thousands of pilgrims standing in the yard and the galleries of the Church of St James or of the Holy Monastery of the Dependency of Gethsemane, praising the Lord for having deemed them worthy of the grace of pilgrimage in these holy lands and of participation in this rite of exalting humiliation.

The conclusion of the procession was followed by progression to the Patriarchates amidst bells ringing.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Zoy_C8CsZxA

On Holy Wednesday, the 3rd/16th of April 2014, the last Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified from this year’s Great Lent was held at the Monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen. His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, officiated at the service, with co-praying Hagiotaphite Prelates, Hieromonks, deacons and pilgrims.

On the evening of Holy Wednesday, the 3rd/16th of April 2014, the sacrament of Holy Unction was also conducted at the Church of Sts Constantine and Helen, in preparation for the Communion and participation in the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Unction was led by His Beatitude Theophilos. Co-officiating were five Prelates and a Hieromonk, namely Archimandrite f. Alexios, head of rubrics [“Typikaris”] in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers, nuns and a great crowd of faithful pilgrims from Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Belarus and Palestine.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/nCwHZModi7E

In the evening of Palm Sunday, the 31^st of March/13^th of April 2014, the Services of the Bridegrooms began at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, at the Monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen and other Monasteries of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

Officiating at the Bridegroom Service in the Church of the Resurrection was His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, alongside the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, visiting from Greece; the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, Hagiotaphite Archimandrites, Hieromonks and Hierodeacons.

This devout Service was attended by numerous Greek pilgrims, having their souls appeased through the theological troparia, feeling united with Jesus Christ, “the Bridegroom coming at midnight”, standing and knocking on the door of our soul, waiting for us to open and follow Him to Upper Jerusalem.

To the pious congregation His Beatitude spoke in Greek.

From the Secretariat-General 

In the evening of Palm Sunday, the 31^st of March/13^th of April 2014, the Services of the Bridegrooms began at the All-holy Church of the Resurrection, at the Monastic Church of Sts Constantine and Helen and other Monasteries of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

Officiating at the Bridegroom Service in the Church of the Resurrection was His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, alongside the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias; Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, visiting from Greece; the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, Hagiotaphite Archimandrites, Hieromonks and Hierodeacons.

This devout Service was attended by numerous Greek pilgrims, having their souls appeased through the theological troparia, feeling united with Jesus Christ, “the Bridegroom coming at midnight”, standing and knocking on the door of our soul, waiting for us to open and follow Him to Upper Jerusalem.

To the pious congregation His Beatitude spoke in Greek.

From the Secretariat-General 

httpv://youtu.be/WiQdUgesIA0