On Saturday the 2^nd/15^th of February 2014, the feast of the Hypapante (Encounter) of the Lord was celebrated at the Convent of Our Lady Seyda Naya which lies opposite the Hanke Mosque in the Christian quarter, in the vicinity of the Patriarchate, home to approximately twenty-five nuns.

The Vespers, Matins and Divine Liturgy were officiated by the Elder Secretary, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina. Co-officiating were Archimandrite Ignatios, the Hegoumen of the Monastery of the Shepherds in the homonymous village; the Hegoumen of the Monastery of the Prophet Elijah, Hieromonk Paisios; Archimandrite Apostolos, visiting from the Metropolis of Petra of the Church of Crete; f. Issah Touma, Head of the Cathedral of St James the Brother of God; and Hierodeacon Thaddaeus. The head cantor of the Church of Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, directed the choir of students at the Patriarchal School in Greek, Russian and Romanian, whereas the choir of the Cathedral of St James chanted in Arabic under the direction of Mr Rimon Kamar. A great crowd of faithful, including Greeks from the Parish of Jerusalem, Arab speaking (Rum Orthodox), Russian speaking and Romanian speaking worshippers, attended the services.

His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina preached the Word of God to the pious congregation (see video).

His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived at the church during the Divine Liturgy accompanied by Hagiotaphite Fathers and pilgrims.

The Retinue of His Beatitude, the Prelatic Retinue and the worshippers were hosted to a reception at the Abbess’ Quarters and in the forecourt of the Monastery by Abbess Serapheima, who has also undertaken the Monastery’s renovation.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/GlJt1TihCOE

On Thursday the 31^st of January/13^th of February 2014, Her Eminence Ms Georgia Kokkalis-Kouvelis, Vice-Councillor of the region of Thessaly, visited the Patriarchate in the company of her associates. Ms Kokkalis-Kouvelis was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In the context of this visit, a discussion took place on the All-holy Pilgrimage Sites of Orthodoxy in the Holy Land and their safekeeping by the Patriarchate and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, through the help of the Byzantine Empire in the past and, in the present day, of pious pilgrims from Greece.

Having received gifts from His Beatitude, Ms Kokkalis and her associates left for the Holy Sepulcher and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/zqLTPnqV2k8

On the night of Wednesday, the 30^th of January/12^th of February 2014, students at the Patriarchate’s Hieratical School on the hill of St Sion discovered that the adjacent chapel of the Holy Spirit had been broken into, whilst part of the Altar inside it had been destroyed.

This sacrilegious act, the third within a year, had been committed by extreme-religious persons from the Yeshiva, the Judaist Religious School which lies in the vicinity of David’s Tomb. This is the third time they root out saplings planted there by the Patriarchate. The motive behind this violent act is opposition to Christian presence in the Holy Sion.

The Patriarchate strongly condemns this sacrilegious act and has already filed a complaint with the Israeli Police.

From the Secretariat-General

I. At the School of St Sion

On Wednesday, the 30^th of January/12^th of February 2014, the feast of the three great Hierarchs and ecumenical holy teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, was celebrated at the Church of the Holy Trinity, which makes part of the Monastery and Patriarchal School on Holy Sion, to the south of the old city of Jerusalem.

The Elder Sacristan and Chairman of the School Board, His Eminence Isidoros, Archbishop of Dorothea, officiated the Vespers and the Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating were Hagiotaphite Archimandrites and Archimandrite Apostolos of the Holy Metropolis of Petra of the Church of Crete, as well as hieromonks and hierodeacons. Teachers and students at the School chanted in the Byzantine style, in the presence of members of the Greek Parish of Jerusalem and nuns.

The panegyric of the day, on the life and contribution of the three Hierarchs to Christian Education and its eclectic pairing with Ancient Greek was preached by professor Panayiotis Antoniades.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Principal, Physics Professor f. Photios hosted the Prelatic retinue and everyone else to lunch at the School’s hall of events.

II. At the Holy Monastery of St Basil

On the morning of the same day, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina and Elder Secretary-General, held the Matins and Divine Liturgy in memory of the three Hierarchs at the Monastery of St Basil, which lies in the Christian quarter of the old city of Jerusalem, close to the New Gate.

Nuns and members of the Greek Parish of Jerusalem participated in the Divine Liturgy.

At the conclusion of the D. Liturgy, Her Reverence Abbess Thecla hosted everyone to a reception at the Abbess’ Quarters.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/Y4zq4PqAkmY

On the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the first day of the Triodion Period, namely the 27^th of January/9^th of February 2014, a Divine Liturgy was held in the Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Community of the Patriarchate in the town of Abud, in the vicinity of Ramallah.

This particular Community numbers approximately 1500 members. Its liturgical center is the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos, which to this day preserves pronounced elements of early Byzantine Architecture. Abud was visited for pastoral reasons by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, who went on to officiate the Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating were His Eminence Dorotheos, Archbishop of Avila; the Elder Secretary-General, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina; the master of ceremonies, Archimandrite Porphyrios; the Head of the Community, Steward Emmanouel; Archdeacon f. Evlogios, and Hierodeacon Dionysios. The Orthodox parishioners participated in the Liturgy with piety and devoutness.

To this pious congregation, His Beatitude preached the Word of God, referring among other things to the significance of fasting and praying, “the spiritual means of preparation towards controlling and overcoming the will of the flesh, therefore towards achieving purification of the soul and the body, and cleansing of the mind”.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, during the brief reception which was followed by lunch, His Beatitude had the opportunity to listen to topics of concern to the Community from the Priest and Vestrymen, and provide answers towards their settlement and resolution.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/5-bVrApI6q8

On Saturday, the 26^th of January/8^th February 2014, priest f. Nikolaos Basal of the Greek Orthodox (Rum Orthodox) Community of Abu-Snan of the region of Accra in Northern Israel, together with a delegation of the Community’s Council, numbering approximately twenty members, visited the Patriarchate.

The representatives of the aforementioned Community were received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

Both the priest and the secular representatives of the Community addressed His Beatitude, extending their thanks for the visit and the moral and tangible support towards the conservation of their Church, the Cemetery, the Catechism School Hall and their activities within the parish.

His Beatitude praised the priest and the Council for their connection to the Patriarchate, which supports and protects them as members of its congregation, as it does with all Christians in the Middle East, Syria especially.

His Beatitude promised the aforementioned members of His congregation even stronger support, and went on to offer them brochures on the history of the Patriarchate in Arabic, as well a CD with constructive speeches and processions. Finally, He blessed them for their subsequent veneration at the Holy Sepulcher.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/uGaq8Vh4z9A

On Wednesday, the 23^rd of January/5^th of February 2014, the new Consul General of the United Kingdom to Jerusalem, Mr Alastair McPhail, visited the Patriarchate on the occasion of his appointment.

Mr McPhail was received by His Beatitude Theophilos, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in the presence of Hagiotaphite Fathers.

To Mr McPhail’s statement that he is happy and honoured to visit the Patriarchate, His Beatitude replied that he is equally happy, owing to the bilateral relations between the Patriarchate and the Great Britain and Anglican Church, especially in the days of the Government of the British Mandate of Palestine.

In the context of this visit, an interesting discussion took place on the peace initiative now being promoted in the Holy Land, in the benefit of Christians and all residents.

“The Patriarchate”, His Beatitude said, “with poise, wisdom, and prudence, faces challenges against it and brings peace to disputing political powers”.

“The Patriarchate struggles to preserve the sanctity of the Holy Land, of the status quo in Jerusalem, and the peaceful coexistence of adherents of all religions”.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/bsCE6EyxdfY

On Monday, the 21^st of January/3^rd of February 2014, the “Patriarchal decision on the agreement and restoration of the ecclesiastical communion” between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Romania was completed and sealed. The decision had been interrupted because of the construction, on behalf of the Patriarchate of Romania, of a Church in Jericho without the approval of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The aforementioned agreement was prepared during the year 2013 over meetings between delegations of the two Patriarchates in Jerusalem, upon the peacemaking mediation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

For the completion of the said agreement, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, received from Romania the Most Reverend Niphon, Metropolitan of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch; the Reverend f. Ionitsa Viorel, Professor and Protopresbyter; the Reverend f. Michael Titsa and the new Representative of the Patriarchate of Romania to Jerusalem, Archimandrite Timotheos. With them they brought the said agreement, signed by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, on Sunday, 29^th of January/2^nd of February 2014.

The agreement was signed by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the aforementioned day, in the presence of the Romanian Delegation and the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Chairman of Finances, His Eminence Methodios, Archbishop of Tabor.

The main points of this agreement (see link: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2013/02/21/2339 ) have now been sealed by means of the understanding between the Heads of the two Churches that “the Church and its guesthouse in Jericho shall operate not as a Monastic Fraternity or any other form of Monastic Community, but as a ‘House of Pilgrims’”.

Upon signing the agreement, due gifts were exchanged between the Leaders of the two Churches.

Immediately afterwards, His Beatitude Theophilos received the Letters of Commendation of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, for the appointment in Jerusalem of the Representative of the Patriarchate of Romania, Archimandrite Timotheos.

The former Representative of the Patriarchate of Romania in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Ieronymos, then approached and apologized to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, which marked his restoration after being defrocked by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Archimandrite Ieronymos has now been transferred to serve in the Patriarchate of Romania.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/vUbQ6snbeCI

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is happy to inform the followers of its official website that today, Monday the 21^st of January/3^rd of February 2014, an agreement was signed to restore the ecclesiastical communion between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Romania. Further details on this issue will be posted within the day.

From the Secretariat-General

On Sunday, the 20^th of January/2^nd of February 2014, the memory of our Father, Efthymios the Great, was celebrated by the Patriarchate.

1. I.                   In Jerusalem

In the Monastery dedicated to the name of Hosios Efthymios, in the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, the services of Vespers and Matins were led by the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina. Co-officiating were the Hegoumen of the Holy Monastery of St Catherine, Archimandrite f. Dositheos; the vicar of the Church of St James the Brother of God, f. Issa-Christos Tumas, and Archdeacon f. Evlogios. Cantor Evangelos Tsarkatzoglou, of Greece, chanted in the presence of several faithful, monks, nuns, members of the Greek Parish of Jerusalem and the Arab-Speaking (Rum Orthodox) congregation.

His Eminence Aristarchos of Constantina preached the Word of God on the life and deeds of Hosios Efthymios.

At the end of the divine Liturgy, Abbess Christonymphe hosted a reception for the Prelatic Retinue and all those present.

1. II.                In the desert ruins of St Efthymios’ Lavra

On the eve of the memory of St Efthymios, namely the 19^th of January/1^st of February 2014, an open-air divine Liturgy was held on the ruins of the renowned Lavra (Monastery) of Hosios Efhtymios, by Archimandrite Aristovoulos, the head cantor of the Church of the Resurrection. Approximately 30 faithful attended the service, nuns and others, following a permit by the Israeli Archaeological Service.

This particular Lavra is the last of those founded in the desert of Judea by St Efthymios. Between the years 430-473 AD, it became a Christian and missionary center, a great beacon of Orthodoxy, through the spiritual guidance of Hosios Efthymios, who was granted by God the gift of insight and healing, and led thousands of monks and Christians from the dogma of monophysitism of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, to the existence in Christ of two natures, one divine and one human. Among those returning to Orthodoxy upon the mediation of St Efthymios, was Empress Eudocia, wife to Emperor Theodosius the Small.

From the Secretariat-General

httpv://youtu.be/YE_G8UFaIEs